


A Dangerous Game

by paradise (min061313)



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Drug Dealing, Explicit Language, Extremely Slow Burn, F/M, Illegal Activities, Kidnapping, Mafia AU, Minor Original Character(s), Non-Graphic Violence, Past Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Soft Im Jaebum | JB, Subtle Daddy Kink, everyones soft, maybe a little readerxJackson??, so soft, swearing every five seconds, theyre all dorks together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2018-11-22 07:08:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 21,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11375133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/min061313/pseuds/paradise
Summary: A talented artist who specializes in portraits, Jaebum is the defintion of boy-next-door. Going to cat cafes, taking casual strolls at night, and reading at the library are all part of his daily life. Sure, he's the leader of one of the biggest gangs in South Korea, but that doesn't stop him from living his personal life in peace. Of course, it's whole other story when business calls. JB isn't here to play games.And then there's you. Don't worry, you're not another boring heroine like in those rom-com dramas. Instead, you're a legendary student from one of the best art schools whose entire fashion line sold out within two days since its launch. A self-made millionaire and literally living your dream, you couldn't have asked for more.But fate had other plans. Two completely opposite paths collide when the two of you meet by chance. Jaebum thought he would never again see the cute girl from his school, and you certainly didn't expect to fall for a gang leader."How about we play a dangerous game...?"





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> There is no smut in this story. And after that, it's a slow, slow burn.

"You're expelled."

"What?"

Your academic advisor gave you a stern glare. "Y/N, this school has absolutely zero tolerance for-"

"I haven't even explained my side of the story!" Your grip on your project tightened. "Mr. Kwon, you've let me use the computer labs even after the closing hours on multiple occasions, and I've even reported on a cheater myself. Do you truly believe that I plagiarized a first year student?" Your voice rose with ever word. This was beyond unfair; you, who never even let anyone copy your homework, who had no sympathy for people who bombed their midterms, was being accused for _plagiarism_?

"Y/N, you're a very hardworking student with outstanding grades, and the top of your classes, so I've heard. But this... I can't help you any further. I'm sorry, Y/N, you'll have to move out and return your keys to the residential office by tomorrow morning." And with that, Mr. Kwon turned his attention back to his computer. "Your parents would've been proud to see you graduate."

Something inside you snapped, making you slam your fist down on the table. "Don't you fucking dare bring up my parents ever again. You're the last person I want talking about them. Especially not in that half-assed way." The son of a bitch looking at you with a blank face didn't respond. You let out a chuckle. "Oh man, sorry Mr. Kwon. I don't usually get this mad; I apologize for my rudeness. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go dance my way out of this shit hole." Tears threatening to escape, you turned around and began to walk out. Your head was pounding. Who in the entire school would hate you so much to the extent of devising a plan to get you expelled? As soon as you opened the door of the office and walked down the hall, you were met with countless pairs of eyes of students who were no doubt listening to the conversation. You were about to reach the exit when a guy who looks familiar called your name.

"Hey, Y/N. Just want to say that I know you didn't do it. Everyone knows." He looked genuinely upset, and stared at the ground.

You looked up at him. Oh, you knew those earrings. Im Jaebum. He sat in front of you in one of your classes, and always donned the same pair of earrings; three silver stars, hanging down in order from smallest to biggest. "Thanks. Congrats in advance on your graduation." And with that, you shrugged him off and headed to your suite to pack your belongings.

-

"Sir, are you alright?" A man dressed in a black suit asked. "You seem distressed."

The much younger man sitting at his desk frowned. "Hey, Park, is it like... illegal for a school to just... I don't know, expel a student for plagiarism without even confirming it?"

Park widened his eyes. "You were accused of plagiarism? Should I send a few men there-"

"No, no, it's not me. There's this girl, she- she just got kicked for no reason at all. Top one percent of the graduating class. She had the perfect grades, always honest, and everyone loved her. What the hell happened?"

The older raised his eyebrows. The leader's never talked about a woman before. Perhaps-

Before the two could utter another word, a red haired boy ran in. "JB hyung, we're about to go raid Goo Hyun Woo and his crew, you comin'?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute, Bam." JB stood up and looked at Park. "Don't worry about what I just told you. She doesn't have any plans on returning, and I'm going to respect that decision. Could you just see if you can find out who made the initial accusation?"

"Of course." Park bowed as JB walked out with the red haired boy, gun tucked into his jacket.


	2. Rebirth

You were absolutely miserable.

Leaving the college campus was refreshing, but shitty Kwon's words put you in a slump for the next few weeks. You couldn't come up with new designs, and none of the latest magazines or fashion blog posts inspired you. There had to be at least fifty missed calls and well over two hundred messages from your friends. Going out to pick up the new samples that the ladies from the fabric store gave you for free were no longer a regular routine. The designs you had started while in school were left untouched for so long, a thin film of dust had settled on them.

It was official; you had hit rock bottom.

At least the school refunded every last penny of your remaining tuition. It was the very least they could do, those bastards.

The only time you got out of bed was to go to the bathroom or eat a banana. Yes, a banana. As much as you felt like disappearing from this cruel world, a small part of your mind convinced you that your life would be too short-lived.

It was only after a week or so when you finally began to make progress. You let your worrying friends know that you were alive and somewhat well. They came over with protein bars and all kinds of energy-boosting goodies, and maybe even a few beers and champagne. Hell, you even became active on Twitter and Instagram again. And slowly but surely, the desire to create and design clothes was back again.

-

It was a Monday morning when the idea hit. You were simply watching a show and lazying around the house when it happened. From then on, everything was a rush. For every five new thoughts that popped up, you were barely able to process one. Never in your life had you worked that hard and fast before. You pulled all nighters again, but this time, you were happy. A couple friends of yours had connections to people who had the resources you needed, and were enthusiastic to help out after hearing about your plan. Google was your right hand man. One session of gathering information from that miraculous website taught you way more than high school did in four years. Two whole notebooks with contacts and step by step how-to's were guarded with your life.

After weeks of staying up late at night and living on coffee, it was finally time for action. You made calls left and right, drove around multiple cities, and signed countless contracts. Sure, it was exhausting, but worth every second. At last, your fashion line and boutique would become a reality. The reason why you went to college was not only to expand on your skills, but also to learn about how to start your own brand and keep it prospering. The school did teach you well, but not enough. Doing research by yourself certainly brought greater results than if you had done it in school. Thanks to an acquaintance of your friend, you were able to secure a newly constructed two-story building in the heart of Seoul. Now, all that was left was to return home and start designing. It was going to take some time before your brand would officially be established, but when it happened, your life was never the same again.


	3. The Best Leader

"Hey, say something." Mark said to the man who currently had three bullet holes in both his legs and stomach. "C'mon, you can't die from that."  
   
The man, whose face was contorted in agony and nose was dripping with snot, said nothing. He looked at a younger man calmly sitting in a chair, watching the scene unfold with cold, calculating eyes. The air around him gave off a dark feel; no doubt he was the leader of the group. "Fuck you and everyone in yer tea party club. All you lot can go to hell."  
   
The "leader" shook his head, disappointed. "Wow, not even a peep. That's very brave of you and all, Hyun Woo, but I have another appointment in half an hour. Can't you just say where you hid our money and die already? Need I remind you that you're not walking out of here alive?" He leaned forward. "Besides, my "tea party" just took down your entire gang." Next to him, Mark smiled. The rest of the team had sent a victorious message to him minutes ago, declaring that they had taken over Goo's headquarters.  
   
That seemed to do the trick. Goo Hyun Woo lost it, and started writhing on the floor and screaming. "Fine! Ya fuckin' psycho! It's in my guest house! Are ya fucking' happy?! Are ya?! Now let me g-"  
   
Before Jinyoung could even reach for his gun in his jacket, JB shot the man dead center on his forehead, and suddenly everything became peaceful and quiet. JB let out a sigh.

"Fucking finally."

Returning his pistol to its holster, the leader turned and walked out, leaving the lower ranks to clean up the mess and take care of the body. Jinyoung and Mark followed suit. 

-

Killing Goo resulted in his silk shirt and tailored pants being ruined by the bastard's blood, but JB, who always had spare clothes in the truck of his car, was able to change into a clean and comfortable hoodie and sweatpants.

But he shouldn't have.

Finding the stolen money was easy; getting it back to headquarters was not. Turns out that Goo knew JB and his crew were coming for him, and sent a message to all of his members to stop them at all costs.

As soon as JB was able to secure the money hidden behind a bookshelf in the office (not the best spot to hide one hundred grand in cash), Goo's men barged into the room and cornered him and his team. BamBam as usual used his agility to take down a few lackeys, triggering the fight. Usually, it would've ended quickly, but this time JB knew it was going to be difficult.

There were so many of them.

Dammit. There were only so many bodies his group could hide in a day.

As he shot them down one by one, the frustration grew more and more. The leader had no choice but to personally join the clean up crew and help out in burying the corpses. But before that…

"Hey," JB said to one of Goo's men, "Maybe you could just give up today and come back another time. I have a lot on my hands, so is it possible to kill you guys in groups of ten a day, maybe even fifteen?"

His only response was a swing to the head, which JB quickly dodged. "Is that a no?"

"Well, nice talking to you, even though an answer would've been nice." He pulled the trigger, and the rude man went down.

Scanning the office, JB checked that his team was in good shape before calling for clean up. When they arrived, he gave out his orders. "I'm gonna have to divide this mess into groups, and everyone will be helping CU, me included. No way they can finish this on their own on time."

Everyone nodded. Half of them began picking up and dragging bodies outside, while the rest erased all traces of blood, fingerprints, and other evidence that might endanger them. JB took part in wiping blood off the floor, despite his men's protests that the leader should go wait in the car.

It took a while, but nobody could tell that an ugly battle took place just hours ago. Now that the office was clean, JB desperately wanted to go home and get out of his bloodied clothes (spare clothes, mind you) and take a long, hot shower. The red stains were dry and stuck to his body; he never felt this gross before. 

-

Screw the shower, Jaebum took a well deserved bath. A glass of wine and R&B music playing in the background was more than enough to soothe his mind after a hard day's work. The only downside was that he lost more than ten outfits in a span of a week, all to find his stolen money. This meant he had nothing comfortable to wear. Ugh. This also meant he had to go shopping. Double ugh.

Jaebum wrapped up his bath and changed into sleepwear before heading to his room and logging on to his computer. As tempting as online shopping was at the moment, he hated ordering clothes on the internet and then getting the wrong size after waiting days for the package. So, to make tomorrow easier, he searched for stores in the city that sold casual everyday wear and clicked on the first result that popped up. Skyline. It was a brand he had heard of before, but he couldn't remember from where. Jaebum scrolled through their products list, and he was immediately impressed. Not only were the designs unique, but the materials used were high quality and the prices were cheaper than he had expected.

After an hour of browsing the entire line, he looked for locations and was surprised to find that there was a store near his home. Jaebum memorized the address and turned off his computer before collapsing onto his bed.


	4. The Best CEO

You woke from the ringing on your phone. Peering at the caller ID, you saw that it was a friend of yours, who was also the manager of your first and main store in Seoul. You frowned. She never called unless it was an emergency.

"Morning, Mina," you croaked, ignoring how awful your voice sounded.

"Y/N, we're in a bit of trouble."

That woke you up completely. Jolting up, you checked the time. The store was an hour to opening time. "What's up?"

There was a short pause before Mina spoke. "You know how the new arrivals were supposed to arrive this morning? Well, uh, I just got a call from the production company and they said the merchandise hasn't even left the warehouse yet."

You rubbed your eyes and groaned. "How many people are waiting outside?" You already knew the answer, since it was always the same after every new release, but it had to be said out loud in order for you to come to your senses.

Mina took a sharp intake of breath. "There's a line."

No need to say how long it was.

"Fucking hell," you stumbled out of bed and made a run for the bathroom. "Okay, I'll head to the warehouse and get the merch myself. If I don't get there in time, bring the clearance to the front and only let a few customers in at a time."

"Got it. How long do you think you'll take?"

The warehouse had to be at least twenty minutes from your house. "Honestly, I don't think I can get there before the store opens, but there's not a lot of cops around lately, so hopefully I won't get caught speeding."

"Y/N! Stay safe, I'll handle the store until you get here." Mina reassured.

"You're the best." You hung up and got ready to go out as fast as possible, putting minimal makeup and simple clothes.

Your stomach growled, but your hunger had to wait. Grabbing your keys and purse, you quickly locked the door and walked to the car.

-

There were a lot more cops than you thought. After nearly getting caught twice, you safely made it to the back of the store on time and got out of the car. Mina burst out of the door with a frantic look, the other employees following closely behind. "Y/N, we have to hurry. We've got less than ten minutes before the shop opens, and the whole front is empty."

Nodding, you opened the trunk and back seats and started handing everyone a box each. "The ones labelled "MAY 2X17" should be the first things that customers see when they walk in. Everything can be placed according to style in each section."

It was absolute chaos. The clock was ticking, and there were still too many empty racks. As a last resort, you called for one of the security guards patrolling the line, apologizing and explaining the situation. She was more than happy to help.

With everyone's help, you managed to place the last group of clothes on hangers and put them on display. You swore you heard a collective sigh.

Mina pat you on the back. "Thanks, Y/N. Today would've been a disaster if it weren't for you."

"Not the best start to Sunday, but I'm just glad I was able to make it in time." You made your way to the car. "The rest should arrive by noon. If not, I'm seriously finding another company."

"Yeah, yeah, we all know you're a soft-hearted bitch." Mina laughed. "I gotta go in, so I'll see you later, 'kay?"

"Will I be able to see high numbers like always?" You teased.

"You bet."

-

After a few meetings and then a quick supper, you drove back to Mina's store. There was still a line, but it wasn't as long as it was in the morning. A few people waiting to get in grumbled when the guards easily let you in, not knowing that you were the founder of the brand.

Mina looked tired, but her face still lit up when she saw you. Immediately, she pulled out a binder, which you took.

You weren't too surprised to see that a lot of men's selections were nearly sold out as well. To be fairly honest, some of your best designs belonged to the men's and unisex sections. Overall, the numbers on the papers were far higher than you'd expected. "This is actually much better than I thought, and I was expecting some pretty difficult stats, too."

Just when you were about to compliment Mina, a voice called out your name.

"Y/N?"


	5. Reunion

Jaebum recognized that voice. He thought he'd never hear it again. He turned around, and sure enough, you were standing in front of him, talking to someone who most likely worked here.

Of course, why didn't he remember that article? It was all over the Internet. A former student of Korea's top design school launched a fashion line that sold out in less than an hour of opening its doors.

The whole school and its administration was in chaos upon hearing the news. You were the talk for weeks.

"Y/N?"

You know those scenes in mushy love movies where the girl turns around, and suddenly flower petals appear out of nowhere in the background?

That's exactly what Jaebum saw. The girl he had a crush on in college was actually gracing him with her presence.

You looked… horrified? No, just shocked. Whew.

"Jaebum?" Breaking out into a brilliant smile, you quickly said something to the girl before walking to him and oh-so-naturally putting your arms around him. "Hi, it's been so long!"

The boy froze in place. Move, you bastard! What the hell are you doing? Jaebum forcefully willed his arms to hug you back, trying so hard not to break out in a cold sweat.

"Hey, Y/N. How've you been?"

You pulled away (sadly). "Really good! I started my own fashion line after leaving school, and business has been growing ever since. How about you? This is really late, but congrats on graduating."

"Ah, thanks," Jaebum blinked tightly. "I've been uh… just helping out with the family business."

Well, it wasn't a complete lie.

"It's nice to see you again, after last year…" the boy trailed off. It still made him a tad bit upset to remember that the last time he saw you, you were on the verge of tears.

You looked down and smiled. "I'm okay now, I moved on a long time ago. Apparently, the person who made the false accusation came forward to the school. My old academic advisor called me, asking if I was okay with meeting him at his office to talk about coming back." Recalling the call, you rolled your eyes. Never again did you want to see the old turd again.

"I just told him not to call me again and hung up."

Jaebum gave you a warm smile. "Good. You're a legend of the school, y'know. A lot of kids wanted to start something after hearing about your success story."

"It's actually a funny story how I started my brand," you laughed.

-

Before Jaebum realized it, the two of you were in a casual restaurant, having lunch together. You were telling the story of how you spent weeks wallowing in the dark corner of your room before something struck you, resulting in the birth of Skyline. Soon enough, both of you were cackling away at the memories you both remembered from college.

You seemed to notice something. "Hey, you're not wearing them."

"Hmm?"

"You always wore these pretty, dangly earrings with three stars…"

Jaebum's face lit up. "Oh! Yeah, I still have them somewhere at home. I just don't wear them too often, since they get uncomfortable at work."

When he got into fights against some no name gang, the jewelry would always get in the way, so Jaebum started taking them off. Eventually, he stopped wearing accessories altogether, save a few rings and a watch, just to make the hits hurt a little more. But you didn't need to know that yet.

The two of you talked for a bit more, sharing contact information along the way. Regrettably, you had to get to your last meeting.

"I'll see you again sometime?" He asked with a hopeful look.

"Yeah, definitely."


	6. Questioning

You woke up on your own and without the help of the alarm for the first time. It probably helped that you went to bed early last night (if 2 in the morning counts as early), but usually you still needed the loud ringing of the phone to get your eyes to crack open.

Well, whatever made you wake up early, you hoped it happened again. Today, your schedule was empty, meaning you had the entire day to yourself. You looked through your contacts, hoping to find someone who might be free to hang out with you. Even on days off, you had to go outside the house; something about staying in all day made you dead tired the next day. You got to J and stopped. Jaebum was the first name that started with J on your phone. Should you ask him to chat and have a meal with you? It had been almost a month since you last met him, when he stopped by the main store again. Shaking your head to yourself, you kept scrolling. He was probably busy. There were tons of people who would be free today, why were you insisting on Jaebum? Maybe since he was one of the very few good parts about school? Well, he was good looking and charmingly nice, and it had been quite a few years since you last had a boyfriend, but now was not the time to chase after a guy now. You ran a successful business, and right now, it was your priority over everything else. 

You shut your phone off and rolled out of bed. Perhaps one day you'll ask him if he was single, but today was not that day.

-

Jaebum spun his chair in circles, his room revolving around him. Bookcase, window, bookcase, TV, bookcase, window, bookcase, TV, bookcase, window, bookcase, Jinyoung, bookcase, win- Jinyoung? He stopped abruptly and squeezed his eyes shut, holding up a finger. He needed a moment to calibrate his view again.

"What is it?"

Jinyoung sighed. "That's what I should be asking you. What's gotten you so… weird?"

"I don't know, maybe they put something in that mocha latte I had earlier." Jaebum waved his hand and spun his chair so that his back was to Jinyoung. "It's nothing."

"There's a lot of shit I can handle, but bullshit isn't one of them. You better spill, or I'm making Youngjae hack into your phone. Surely something will come out of that." Jinyoung narrowed his eyes. "You like someone?"

"Yeah." It came out before Jaebum even realized it. He turned back slowly and was met with the most shockingly shocked face that Jinyoung ever had. The open mouth changed into a smile of disbelief, and the man began laughing.

"It's about damn time," Jinyoung gasped. He caught his breath and looked at the expressionless leader. "So, who is it?"

"Someone from university. I met her again at a store."

Jinyoung nodded in approval. "Nice, your college crush. Now THAT'S a drama I'd watch."

"Shut u-" Jaebum and Jinyoung's phones vibrated. Incoming message from Yugyeom, sent to the group chat.

Grandpa hyung's finally getting married soon, what do we wear to a wedding?

"That son of a bitch." Jaebum bolted out the door. Jinyoung let out a chuckle as he heard Yugyeom's cries for help.

-

Mark clapped his hands together and smiled ever so brightly at Jaebum, whose limbs were held down by Youngjae, Bambam, and Yugyeom, who was hiding behind Jackson. "There, now that everyone's settled, let's have a friendly family chat. Yugyeom, you can state your side of the story first."

The youngest member rose to his full height and looked at Jaebum over Jackson's shoulder. "First of all, I would like to petition for Grandpa hyung's room to get soundproof walls and doors. If he doesn't want us hearing something, that should be his problem, not mine." Yugyeom almost flinched when the leader glared at him. "And second, what kind of old man suddenly has Super Saiyan power whenever they're mad? This is unjust treatment of employees." The other members merely rolled their eyes.

"Thank you, now would you like to say something, Jaebum?" Mark said.

The man huffed. "Yeah? But it's definitely your problem if you suddenly spew some marriage shit in the fucking group chat."

"Instead of having this lame ass hearing, why don't we hear the entire story?" Jackson piped up. "JB hyung owes us the meaning behind Yugyeom's text."

"Yeah, are you finally dating?" Bambam asked, emphasizing the word 'finally.'

Jaebum was just about done with the entire rest of the month. As much as he loved each and every single one of these shits, he also knew that they drive him crazy and make him age ten times faster. "No, she's just someone from college that I may or may not have liked. Haven't seen her in a while, and I bumped into her while shopping. We had lunch together and went back on our merry way. The end."

"Woah, wait a minute. It's not "just someone" if you liked her," Youngjae speculated before leaning in close to Jaebum's face, "And it doesn't sound like the end to me. This is only the beginning." The younger member quickly dodged Jaebum's swipe as the others began bombarding the leader with their own questions.

The oldest joined in. "What's her name?"

Jaebum pursed his lips, hesitant. "Y/N."

"Ooh, that's a pretty name!" Jackson looked more hype than the actual man in love himself. "I once knew a Y/N, but she was a bitch to all her five boyfriends and three husbands. Hopefully your Y/N is nice."

Bambam raised a hand, catching everyone's attention. "Guys, I think we're forgetting the most important question of all: Does she like cats?"


	7. The Game Plan

"I was thinking of launching a collab exclusive for the winter season," Park Chanwoo, the head of design, suggested. "We've always had themed sets which all sold very well, but customers would be more than happy to check out one-of-a-kind pieces created by two reputable brands."

You jotted the idea down and starred it three times. What Chanwoo said was true. Skyline put out numerous collections, each with a specific concept. All of them were sold out within hours of hitting the shelves. However, the company has never tried releasing co-designed exclusives, and you thought it was a genius idea to give it a shot. You turned to Areum, the head of marketing. "What do you think?"

Areum tapped her pencil against her round glasses. "Personally, I don't see a downside to this. Skyline has always been on the rise, so it's safe to assume that this collaboration will produce nice, happy numbers. Now let's say it doesn't do well. It'll hardly make a dent in our profit, and we'll now know never to work with them again. Whether it succeeds or fails, there's not much for us to lose."

The others murmured in agreement, you included. This month, the HQ meeting was one of the more productive ones the company's had. Because Skyline was doing so well, there wasn't anyone to yell at nor decline in profit to worry about. Not that you actually would yell; everyone sitting at the table was a friend or a trusted acquaintance.

Flipping through the pages of your notebook, you skimmed over the notes from today. "So we have plans to renovate two stores in Gangnam and Myeong-don starting next summer, branch out into stationery and related accessories, and partnering up to launch a unique and exclusive collection by this November. Anything else to add?"

Everyone shook their heads. "Okay, then since the collab has the shortest deadline, I'll compile a list of potential partners and introduce them in next month's meeting. Chanwoo, you can start coming up with contributing ideas for concepts."

You turned towards Hana, the HR manager. "Could you let the visual team they have a new project? I'm going to need them to redesign the interior of the two stores so that it looks more refined and aesthetically pleasing for both the customers and employees."

"I'll call Naeun by tonight, don't worry." Hana assured.

Closing the book, you let out a deep breath. "Okay, I think that's it for today then. I'll see everyone back here next month." One by one, Chanwoo, Areum, Hana, and the rest of the staff left the meeting room. As soon as the last person left, you received a new message. From Jaebum. You masked your surprise and opened it.

_Got any plans for today?_

Oh. Well, this was the most pleasantly surprising thing so far. Luckily, this meeting was the only thing on your itinerary for the day.

_Nope, I just finished up a meeting._

You eagerly waited for a text back, only to catch yourself being a tiny bit disappointed when he didn't answer. It wasn't until you went down to the parking lot and into your car that he responded.

_Sweet, care for lunch at 3? There's a nice place we could go._

How does one put "Hell fucking yes I would love to have lunch, dinner, AND dessert with you" into more sophisticated terms?

_Sure! See you then_

That's how.

-

"You have to ask her out." Yugyeom said urgently.

"What? No!" The leader protectively held his jacket closed, where his phone was hidden in the pocket. He looked at Jinyoung. "Mind giving me a hand here?"

Jinyoung simply shrugged. "I am kinda curious about her, too."

Jaebum rolled his eyes. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"Well, think about it," Jackson said in a low cinematic voice, as if he was going to tell the juiciest story. "Imagine that there's this super chic and sexy leader of one of the biggest gangs in South Korea. He's all mean and grumpy, with more than a hundred kills, and those are just the ones that got confirmed." He deftly blocked Jaebum's swats and jumped behind Jinyoung to continue.

"Now imagine that there's this girl named Y/N, who this mafia leader had the biggest crush on in college. He sees her again after a few years, and his stone-cold heart has thawed. Mind you, this guy is the angry grandpa who always sits on his porch and screams at children, except of the underground world. To sum it up, Y/N just became the heroine in this epic fanfiction." Jackson was practically hopping around the members and over couches.

"Okay, now you have to ask her out." Youngjae spoke up. "Take her out for a meal, and we'll just watch from somewhere across the street."

The leader scrunched his eyebrows together. "I hope you know how fucking creepy that sounds." He stood up and made his way towards the office. "I'll let you guys know how it goes."

Without waiting for an answer but knowing that the others looked ecstatic that he succumbed to their ideas, Jaebum shut the door behind him and sat down at his desk. Should he ask you out? He was free; no one to kill today. Guess it was decided then.

Taking out his phone, the leader opened his messages and clicks on your name. Without hesitation, his thumbs press key after key.

_Got any plans for today?_

There, no going back now. But as soon as he set the phone down, it lit up and a new message appeared on the screen.

_Nope, I just finished up a meeting._

Jaebum held back the urge to fist pump the air. Okay, great. Now what? He checked the time - a little over 1. Lunch in a few hours would be nice. Just as he was about to respond, a separate message came in from CW, a double agent working for him. It was never good news when this guy made contact.

Turns out Hyun Woo had friends after all. They're preparing for something, watch your back. I'll call when there's movement.

Well, fuck. That really wasn't good news. Jaebum didn't realize that he had been blanking out for the past five minutes before snapping back to reality. He looked down at his phone, and as if it was mocking him for forgetting to text you back, the screen lit up brightly again from its dim state.

_Sweet, care for lunch at 3? There's a nice place we could go._

Hopefully you weren't upset.

_Sure! See you then_

Jaebum sighed out of relief. "Jinyoung!"

The door opened, and Jinyoung poked his head through the gap. "Yeah?"

"Got any recommendations for a place to eat?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I thought it was way overdue for an author's note. First and foremost, I just wanted to thank everyone for even clicking on this story. I know it's slow and there's not much action going on (and my writing is awfully terrible), but I promise it will happen. Can't say it'll be within the next few chapters, but I have everything written out in my notes, and they're just begging to be released for you guys to read.
> 
> There's one chapter I can't wait to post. The length may be a bit daunting, but I had so much just writing out dialogue and outline for it. I'm super excited just thinking about working on the final draft!
> 
> Once again, a huge thank you to everyone who checked out A Dangerous Game! Chapter 8 coming soon! =)


	8. Prep

"Yes."

"No."

Jaebum groaned. "I'm gonna throw something at you."

Jinyoung scoffed. "Go ahead. I lose brain cells, you lose your cats. Your call."

"Just give me a reason why I can't go out with Y/N." The leader sat up and narrowed his eyes at Jinyoung. "I won't argue if you can think of a valid reason."

"Fine. I just got intel that Hyun Woo had men hiding in the shadows, and they're starting to come out. I'm guessing you already know."

Jaebum interrupted before Jinyoung could continue. "I'm not going to drag Y/N into this world and put her in danger. I've been in this game ever since I was born, and gave up a lot of things along the way. I think I deserve to ONE thing that's common for normal people." He leaned forward. "If you met her, you'd change your mind-"

An unfazed Jinyoung held up a hand. "You win. I can't go against a side of you that I don't know." He chuckled before making his way out the office. "For years I stood with you, and this is something I've never seen. I'll be expecting the wedding invitation soon." And with that, Jinyoung made his escape.

 _Son of a bitch_ , Jaebum thought as he proceeded to imagine shooting red lasers at his head through the door. Letting out a sigh, he got up and began getting ready for the… date. It felt like saying a foreign word for the first time, awkward and unusual. Technically, it wasn't a date. Or was it? It was a question worth pondering over in the car. Jaebum removed his tie and undid two buttons, hoping it wouldn't look too stiff. Shaking his head, he switched out his dress pants for black jeans and threw on a hoodie. Maybe that was more suitable for a date. Jaebum couldn't help but silently laugh at himself. He hadn't acted this way since… since never. There hasn't been a time when he felt butterflies in his stomach. Perhaps the day to formally ask you out would come sooner than anyone would expect.

After applying a few dabs of his go-to cologne, Jaebum was soon on his way to his first date.

-

You panicked. There was absolutely no time to go home and change. You looked down. An old, loose tee with- wait, was that a ketchup stain? Oh god, what the hell were you going to do now?

As you were having a mental breakdown, realization slapped you in the face. You were in the Skyline HQ building, one floor up from where the design team was stationed. They always had a plethora of clothes; you were sure they wouldn't mind lending a top. As calmly as possible, you walked down to the fifth floor and knocked on Chanwoo's door before peeking in.

He looked up from his computer and lit up. "Hey, Y/N. What's up? Something you forgot at the meeting?"

You tried to focus on Chanwoo while talking, not the small rack of clothes behind him. "Actually, I came to ask you for a favor."

Chanwoo leaned back and rested his feet on his desk. "Ah, the great Y/N is in need of my services. Must be my birthday in another universe." He laughed to himself and put his feet back down when he saw you jokingly glare. "What can I do for you?"

"I know this goes against company policy, but I really need to borrow one of those tops for a few hours today. Think you could hook me up?" You did your best impersonation of hopeful puppy eyes.

The head of design turned his chair around and browsed through silk, wool, and cotton. He pulled off a thin cashmere sweater. Pink sleeves bled into the white torso, and black ribbon weaved through the slits of the sleeves. "The first prototype. I designed it myself, and now present it to you with the honor of wearing it."

You took it carefully, admiring the quality. "This… this is gorgeous." Giving Chanwoo a reassuring smile, you draped the sweater over your arm. "I'll give it back by tonight."

The man returned the smile with a sly one. "Mm, make his jaw drop."

"Wha- who said I was seeing someone?"

"You never give a shit about how you look, duh. Last meeting, you literally came in wearing pajama shorts and a hoodie." 

"Maybe I decided to change. You don't know me."

"We've been friends for over a decade. I think I know you more than you know yourself." Chanwoo waved his hands at you as if shooing you away. "Now go off and make heads turn. Snatch his heart."

"Man, I hate you. Should've gone to Areum." You mumbled under your breath. Making your way out, you turned around and held up a peace sign at Chanwoo. "See ya later, loser."

"Wait! What do I get in return for lending you the sweater?"

You gave him a confused look and half-smile. "Isn't that obvious? It automatically goes into the final lineup of Skyline's winter collection."

Chanwoo's eyes widened. "No way. You are now officially the best boss I've ever had, even if you're the only boss I've stayed with for more than two days. That sweater? Yours for keeps."


	9. Unexpected End

Jaebum's hands could not get any clammier, and he never even got clammy hands unless he was sick. Perhaps it was an illness that had to be checked out by the doctor. A list of mild ailments that could cause clammy hands went through his head, even though he knew perfectly well that it was simply nervousness. As he neared the huge Skyline building, Jaebum spotted you pacing back and forth in front of the entrance, oblivious to the employees greeting you. Looks like he wasn't the only one who felt like he was about to give a speech to the president. Side note, that sweater looked amazing. You noticed him as he pulled up to the curb and almost instantly, you seemed relaxed and comfortable. How did you do it? Jaebum would never know.

He got out and walked to the other side of his car and opened the door for you. "Hey. You look great." Nice. Short and sweet. Keep it up, Jaebum, he thought to himself.

"Thanks, you too." You smiled as you got in. 

Jaebum could hardly contain himself as he walked back to the driver's seat. "Did you wait long?"

"No, only for a minute or two." You turned to look at him. "By the way, where are we going? Or is it still a surpri- hey, you're wearing the earrings!" You pointed at the three-star earrings that Jaebum wore.

"Yeah, I hoped you would notice. Plus, I'm off work, so it won't get in my way." He chuckled. "And no, it's not a surprise anymore. There's this restaurant I frequent that specializes in soft tofu stew. One of the best, and I've tried a lot of different kinds. Hope you like it." And the was safe; he knew the faces of every worker.

"As a matter of fact, I've been craving Korean food," you assured him. "Whenever my staff and I go out to eat, it's always either American or Italian. A change in menu is long overdue."

"There was a time when the only thing I would eat was microwavable rice. That and water." Jaebum didn't include why such a time existed. He was sure you wouldn't be ready to hear that him and his team had gone to extreme measures when going on stake outs. Living on just instant rice and water was one of the few conditions they had to go through.

"College was hard, huh?" You asked innocently. "I didn’t eat much either, but only because I didn't have that big of an appetite back then. Hope you're eating well now. Well, I guess that's not even worth asking, since you run a business, too. I'm sure food is the least of your worries."

It was true; he had other things (that he couldn't say) to take care of before he could eat leisurely.

Soon enough, Jaebum pulled up to a parking lot and parked at a relatively close spot. He never parked more than 100 feet away from anything; with the life he lived, no time and place was safe from lurking enemies. As soon as something happened, he could bolt out the front door, hop into his car, and speed away before anyone could suspect and catch him. This time, because you were with him, he had to be extra careful this time.

To be sure of that, he asked the members in the group chat to help out. Youngjae immediately replied with, "We got your back." Jaebum already knew that somewhere within the vicinity of the restaurant, the team was on lookout.

He led you inside the restaurant and called over an employee to get a table. Sue, who he was familiar with, greeted him with an ecstatic grin. "Been a while since you came, but I guess now we know why!" She gave you a wink.

Jaebum wanted to die.

"Had to spread the news about how good the food was here, so…" He trailed off pathetically. You were practically looking everywhere but him, cheeks turning a hint of pink.

"Oh, I'm just joking now. I'll show you to your seats," Sue grabbed two menus and led the pair to the table in the middle of the restaurant, in the corner of the wall divider. It wasn't the usual table that Jaebum had always requested when he came alone, which was, of course, right by the door. He looked at Sue, who looked at you, as if you were the reason why the seating was changed. "That's the seat for lovebirds."

You and Jaebum would've choked on your drinks if you had them. Instead, Jaebum cleared his throat and you put a hand to your face, as if you were checking your temperature.

Sue was having the time of her life teasing the both of you. "Alright, alright, I'm off. I'll call someone over in a bit."

"Thank you," you called out as she walked away. There wasn't much talking after that. What were you supposed to say, after the whole commotion Sue made? As much as he loved good 'ol Sue, Jaebum regretted not choosing the Italian place, even though he preferred Korean food.

"So, uh…" Jaebum decided to get a conversation going. Not like sitting there quietly was going to help, either. "How was your day? It's been a while since we last talked, right?"

"Almost a month, I think. And my day was good! I had a company meeting today, and things turned out really, really well, so I'm feeling great. What about you?" You gave Jaebum a radiant smile, and he felt himself falling deeper and deeper into the never-ending pit of what people call "love."

"That's good to hear. Mine was good, too. Um," Jaebum's mind raced to remember an event that wasn't bloody or disturbing in any way, shape, or form. "Oh, I recently had dinner with the members of my team here, and they really enjoyed it, so that was nice. Now I finally got to introduce it to you."

Before you could respond, a voice interrupted the conversation. "Welcome to Sue's House, can I start you off with something to drink?" Jaebum looked up to see who it was, and paused. He had never seen this man in the eight months that he had come here. New guy, maybe. But Jaebum had visited just last week, with the members.

"I'll have hot tea," you answered, looking at Jaebum expectantly. You were waiting for him to order as well.

Snapping out his mind, he smiled. "Same as her, thanks." The waiter nodded and went into the kitchen.

You suddenly got up and gestured towards the restrooms. "I'll be back soon." As soon as you turned around, Jaebum took out his phone from his pocket and sent an urgent message to Mark.

_There's a new guy, never saw him before. Check out who he is, thanks_

Not 10 seconds later, Mark replied.

_We're going in. He's an HW_

HW. So the guy was one of Hyun Woo's men after all. Well, shit. Couldn’t he just take care of him by himself? Jaebum put down his phone and carefully checked his lower back, where a gun was gently tucked into the waist of his pants. Yep, he was enough to take out one lackey.

But before he could text Mark not to come, the guy came back out, holding a tray with kettle of hot tea and two cups. He set the tray down. "Okay, two hot teas. Ready to order, or need a few more minutes?" His smile was giving Jaebum the creeps.

"Few more minutes, when my date comes back. Thanks." Jaebum stared intensely at the menu to seem preoccupied.

But he heard the gun cocking before he saw it. Jaebum used the menu to parry the gun away from him, sending the bullet straight through the ceiling. Customers immediately yelled and rushed to get out, pushing one another to escape danger. Jaebum could see his team wiggling through the crowd. Yugyeom, Bambam, and Mark stayed outside to lead the people to safety and make sure no one had their phones out. It was very bad news if the leader got caught on camera. Jinyoung, Youngjae, and Jackson ran in, guns raised.

"Mr. JB," the lackey sneered, "Figured you'd be a bit more intimidating."

"Oh, I'll show you intimidating, you fucking asshole. For a being a piece of shit and ruining the one chance I had with a girl, you get a bonus round of beating." Jaebum hit the man's wrist with his palm, causing the gun to drop to the ground and spin towards the wall.

Sue and the staff of the restaurant dashed out, screaming. "What in the world is going on here?!" Sue shouted over the remaining customers' yells. She didn't even wait for Jaebum's answer and bolted outside.

Jinyoung lowered his gun. "Hit or shoot?"

"Hit." Jaebum said. "A lot." He looked at Jackson. "Y/N's in the restroom. Get her out without anyone seeing. There's a back door if you go through the kitchen."

Jackson nodded once and ran off.

Jaebum cracked his knuckles and neck, watching the lackey try to take on Jinyoung and Youngjae. "Welcome to the bonus round, piece of shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah, 2 chapters?? Even I'm surprised. I guess this is my way of apologizing in advance, since I may be delayed with posting chapters again. The spring semester has started, thus reducing my time to write chapters. I'll try my best, as the semester has just begun.
> 
> Also, finally some action! Hopefully no one gave up on this because there was literally nothing going on lol. I think many of you will like the next chapter... it really gets the story moving at a faster pace. Be on the lookout for Chapter 10: Truth!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	10. Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update~
> 
> I'm so happy for all the hits, kudos, and comments I've been receiving. I never imagined "A Dangerous Game" would get even 100 hits, but here we are!
> 
> I'm pretty sure I've said this before in the past, but thank you so much for reading this story, despite being terribly bad and even a little appalling =D hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I know a lot of people have been waiting to continue from Chapter 9

Your head snapped up from the sound of a gun. You quickly turned off the sink and grabbed a paper towel before hiding in the corner. If the door opened, you could probably stun him with a good punch or two and escape with Jaebum. If not… you shook your head. To be perfectly honest, you didn't know where the bravery came from. You almost felt like it was safe to look outside.

So you did. Cracking the door open just half an inch, you looked out into the restaurant, only to see a mess of food and fallen chairs on the ground and your date roundhouse kicking the waiter in the chest. Alarmed, you were about to call his name when a group of men rushed inside. There were about six of them. _Robbers?!_ You closed the door again and tried to think of another game plan, but the door opened abruptly and one of the men you saw just a few moments ago barged in. Brown hair, perfect nose, large eyes. Good looking, although that part was so not necessary nor appropriate at the moment. You noted his features; if you made it out alive, at least you had a witness account of one of the burglars. Alright, time to scream for help. Before you could let out a peep, however, the man pressed his hand against your mouth and brought a finger to his lips.

"Sht. Y/N, right? So nice to see you in person. My name is Jackson, Jaebum's cool friend. Sorry we had to meet like this. You're probably thinking I'm one of the bad guys, but I'm here to help, okay?" He closed his eyes halfway and looked towards the door, as if trying to hear what it was like outside, and turned back to you. "Do you trust me?"

You shook your head no, giving him death glares while glancing at the gun in his other hand.

Jackson winced and hid the pistol behind his back, as if that was going to make things better. "Ah, sorry about that. But you'll really have to trust me, since I'm the one who's gonna get you out of here. This gun for your protection, nothing more, nothing less." He gave you a stern look. "Now, when I remove my hand, please… don't scream, okay? Or else JB hyung is going to tear me to shreds." Slowly, he took off his hand off your mouth. Although you were still shaking in terror, you stayed quiet. Today will not be the day of your death.

"Okay then! Let us make our grand escape." Jackson kept the gun pointed down as he opened the door and poked his head through the opening. "All clear. Just stay behind me."

"Will you be okay?" It was official; you had gone crazy. Why else would you ask someone who stormed into the ladies' room while holding a gun if he would be okay?

Jackson doubled over with laughter. "I can't believe- if I'd be okay- funniest shit I've-" You couldn't make out what he was saying in between laughs.

"Even if you were a bad guy, dying either inside or outside the women's bathroom might be a bit..." You frowned, suddenly feeling embarrassed. From now on, you were going to keep your mouth shut.

"Oh man, I like you already. I can tell why Jaebum is head over heels for you." Jackson wiped away his tears (was it really that funny?). "Jesus, that was the best laugh I've had in a while."

You clutched the damp paper towel that you had still been holding onto. "Sh- should we get going now?"

"Yeah. Boy, I cannot wait for you to meet everyone else." Jackson crouched and stayed hidden behind the parapets while you followed suit. You saw Jaebum and two others punching and kicking the living shit out of your former waiter. Jackson led you through the kitchen and out the back door, where three more guys were waiting.

"Yo, we got everyone out of the premise," one of them said. He had a thin face with sharp features. "Does JB need help?"

Jackson waved his hand. "Nah, he's got himself a punching bag."

"Yikes. He must've been holding it in after a month of inactivity." This one was tall and had a boyish appearance.

The third guy chimed in. "And you must be Y/N." He had brightly colored hair and wore a plethora of silver jewelry. He held out a hand. "Nice to meet you, I'm Bambam."

Timidly, you shook his hand. "Hi…?" It came out more as a question. And rightfully so, because you had absolutely no idea what was going on.

Jackson gestured to Sharp Features. "He's Mark, the oldest in our group. But he doesn't act like it, just an FYI." He moved on to Boyish Appearance. "And he's Yugyeom, the youngest. But he doesn't act like it. Actually, no one acts their age. We're all just a bunch of good looking guys with guns who like to play paintball and swim together. In the summer we go to the beach and make sand castles, except for Jaebum hyung. He's the grandpa who always stays in the shade and drinks strawberry milk all the time."

The back door flew open and out walked Jaebum, followed by the two who were with him. Jackson practically leapt behind Mark and pretended to hide behind his back. You looked at Jaebum; he was looking back at you, but with guilt in his eyes. He brushed past you and trudged to his car.

There was no room for awkward silence. The other two you haven't met introduced themselves. "Miss Y/N. A pleasure to finally meet you." A man with poise and an unreadable face stepped forward. "Jaebum's told me a lot about you. Jinyoung."

"And I'm Youngjae," said a man with a long fringe and a brilliant smile. "Don't be too mad. I mean, you have every right to be, but Jaebum really didn't want this to happen on the first date."

"I'm not even that mad, just… confused." You looked at the loose rocks on the ground. "Everything happened so fast, I still can't process what went on in there. I was looking forward to have lunch with Jaebum, and then this occurs… Oh God, the guy's dead, isn't he? See, I just realized that a man is probably dead in there, and I'm not even freaking out. I must be nuts." Your head was pounding; you felt yourself swaying.

Jackson held you by the shoulders to keep you steady. "Woah, okie… Do you want to go home, or to the hospital?"

"I'm fine, do you mind if I go with Jaebum? I want the answers from him, if that's okay."

Jinyoung nodded. "Yeah, I'm really sorry the day turned like this. But to make you feel better, the guy's not dead."

"It didn't really help, but I guess that's nice to know." You waved goodbye (because it'd be rude not to) and walked to Jaebum's car.

He looked shocked as you opened the door and plopped into the passenger seat. "Y-Y/N, what're you doing h-"

"I want to hear from you. I want to hear why our waiter wasn't really a waiter, why you had a freaking gun, why everyone had a gun, and who you actually are." Your eyes softened. "I promise I won't get mad if you just tell me the truth. I think I deserve to know after what just happened."

Jaebum gripped the steering wheel, refusing to look at you. "Yeah, you do. I didn't mean for you to find out so quickly, you know. I wanted us to get closer before telling you. Otherwise, I would've hated myself for putting you in danger. It's not fair on your part." He let out a deep breath. "Promise not to tell anyone?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

Jaebum licked his lips. "I'm not a good guy. I've done really horrible things to people. We never hurt women, children, and the innocent, but when it's anyone else other than that, there's really no limit to what we do to get what we want. For fuck's sake, I've killed people before. I have enemies all over the country trying to monitor my every move, which is why I tried to avoid seeing you as much as possible. God, I liked you ever since we first met in college. But even then I couldn't ask you out. I wouldn't allow myself to get you involved in something you should never be a part of. The underground world is absolute hell. There's death lurking at every cor-"

You cut him off with a kiss. Yeah, it was sudden, and it was a scene straight out of a movie, but you felt like it was the perfect timing to do it. Jaebum froze for half a second before breaking in. He quickly dominated, which you absolutely loved. The two of you broke away, out of breath.

"I didn't hear a word you said, but it doesn't matter. I still want to be with you." You grinned. "Besides, I thought you were cute in college, too."

Jaebum raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I'll protect you no matter what, but this is a matter of life or death. There are things that can scare you and make you hate me."

"I'm sure. If it's you, I can do it."

"God, you're so perfect." Jaebum gave you a toothy grin as he leaned in for another kiss. "You just became the final piece in this game of chess, but the mafia version."

"Sounds fun."

"I welcome you as the queen of a dangerous game."

Cue the romantic music and ignore the six grown men jumping up and down in excitement as they watch every second of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I should a chapter breakdown, just to keep everyone on track after all the chaos on the first date =)
> 
> Well, first things first, the kiss scene has finally happened! This was a very fun chapter to write, particularly because we got to see a bit of the characters' emotions when they're scared. For example, you (the reader) were not as expressive of your fear as one would expect from the heroine. Of course, as I stated in the summary of the story, you are not the stereotypical heroine. So naturally I put a twist on almost a lot of things that described what the reader was like, which I hope was well received.
> 
> Now let's talk about our fierce leader. Jaebum was so distraught over believing that you were going to hate him after everything that's happened. I mean, think about it. Jaebum wasn't Jaebum at the time when the fake-waiter attacked. You have to remember that he was JB; gang leader, criminal, etc. So to find out that one of the things even JB himself can be afraid of is losing you for the second time (first time is when you got expelled), it's very interesting to see our characters when vulnerable.
> 
> As for Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Yugyeom, Youngjae, and Bambam, they'll have a special chapter of their own throughout the story to show how their relationship with the reader developed, so be on the lookout for that!
> 
> See you guys in Chapter 11 =)


	11. History of a Child

"So… mafia, right?" You snuggled into Jaebum's chest. The two had spent the past hour parked in front of your house, talking about the details of Jaebum's hidden life. "I can't believe I had a crush on South Korea's most fierce gang leader."

Jaebum looped his arm around you and pulled your body closer. "I can't believe my crush is actually my girlfriend now." He kissed the top of your head. "I'm just really glad you chose to stay even after knowing all this shit."

"I'm sort of surprised at myself, too. Never thought I would be in this position in my life." You raised your head to look at him. Ever since the first kiss, everything about him became ten times better. His nose, his twin moles, his smile, and a hundred other things. So this is what it was like to fall in love. "I wonder if I could be arrested for being affiliated with the mafia, even if I haven't done anything."

"I don't think so, but even if that were the case, I wouldn't let it happen. When you signed over to this world, I swore that I'd keep you safe."

"Mm. I'll hold you to that." You broke out into a grin before reluctantly pulling away from Jaebum and opening the door. "I should get going. I have work early in the morning tomorrow."

"I'm sorry I can't be the typical boyfriend for you. If I could, I would give up my position as leader, but with too many enemies…" He gave you a sad smile. "I'm apologizing in advance for all the hard times you'll have because of me."

"Who said I wanted a typical boyfriend?" Playfully pouting, you closed the door and took a few steps back onto the curb. "I could never ask for anyone else."

Jaebum held up a hand gesture, his index and little fingers extended. "Peace." He drove away after you waved back.

You watched him until he turned the corner before heading inside. It took way longer than it should have just to convince him that your home was safe. You lived in a high security apartment complex, on the top floor at that. The building itself had fifteen floors; the elevators would take a little less than forty seconds to get to the fifteenth floor, giving you plenty of time to hide (if the intruder ever got past the guards).

You would be just fine.

-

Jaebum was not okay. He could hardly focus on the road. If the fake-waiter was able to know that he went to that restaurant pretty often in that short amount of time, who knew if you were also being watched. He unlocked his phone and called Jinyoung. "Can you put some people on Y/N?"

"Think Hyun Woo's cult members are onto her already?" Jinyoung sighed. "It'd be easier to bring her here."

"'Here' as in our _house_?" Jaebum whispered, as if you could hear him from miles away. "We literally just started dating. Even I wouldn't move in with a guy I never called boyfriend until two hours ago."

"Relax, I'm just partially kidding. But it is true that it's going to take a shit ton of precaution to even _think_ that she'll be safe." There was a short pause. No doubt Jinyoung was already thinking of Plan B all the way through Z in case anything really did happen. "How about four guys? Four people for the four walls of the building where Y/N lives. I'll even have Yugyeom stationed at the front, since he always complains about having nothing to do."

Jaebum complied. To be perfectly honest, he'd wanted to send more men, but when Jinyoung was forced to agree, it was better to simply accept what he got than to ask for more. "Alright, thanks. I'll be home in a few." And with that, Jaebum hung up.

He thought about everything that happened today. It wasn't the craziest day he's lived through, but it'll be one of the few that he'll never forget. Growing up in a family that led one of the most powerful gangs in South Korea was no ordinary life, and it didn't help that Jaebum's father reminded him daily that falling in love would mean the end of their clan ever since he learned how to speak. _"If you must marry, do it for power, for money, for everything but love,"_ he would always say. After he died from a bullet wound trying to save his wife, she quickly fell ill and passed away a few weeks later, leaving Jaebum alone in this dark and lonely world. All this happened when Jaebum was nine. 

When he turned ten, he was declared as the next leader of Paradise. Ten. Most kids spent their tenth birthday with cake, presents, and excited cheers for entering the double digits. All Jaebum remembered from his birthday was walking down a dimly lit hallway with all of the members of the main group lined up on the sides as they swore allegiance to the new head. His only gift? The white and gold Magnum that had belonged to his father, and his father's father, and so on for many generations. As soon as he was put into power, Jaebum made sure that the gang stayed under the radar as much as possible. He wanted to live a normal life, going to school and eventually taking up a career as a graphics designer. Maybe even getting a girl at college, too. But that ordinary life fell apart when you were wrongfully expelled and Hyun Woo started fucking up, forcing Jaebum to call up his men from the shadows and make daring moves. Once the rest of the underground knew Jaebum's face and the power he held, he thought he could never find happiness ever again.

Until fate finally played nice and let the two of you meet. Sure, it took time before he was comfortable enough to let you in little by little on his life and history, but Jaebum cherished every second being with you. And right now, as his mind was registering the fact that you were actually his girlfriend, Jaebum no longer thought himself as the cold-hearted "JB" everyone else thought. He wasn't a gang leader nor murderer; at the moment, he was just… Jaebum. A normal guy.

If only things could stay that way.


	12. Skyway

Where did it go wrong? How was he going to fix his mistake?

Jaebum groaned as he dropped the digital pen on the desk and placed his head in his hands, hitting ctrl and v over and over until the canvas was back to white again. He couldn't think anymore; after drawing and erasing nearly thirty different coats and jackets, Jaebum no longer had the capacity to create anything else for the night. He shut off his computer and prepared for a nice, hot shower.

The full-time leader and boyfriend thought long and hard under the water about how you had approached him with the proposal of a collaboration for Skyline's winter collection. You knew about his hobbies, and that he had a number of aspiring graphic designers who follow his art. Jaebum initially said no. Not because he didn't want to; in fact, he really, really wanted to take the offer, but he would prefer not to put his name and face out in the public. However, you had already crafted a plan to fix that problem.

An alias, a perfect disguise from watchful eyes of who-knows-what. With the excuse of a fake name, Jaebum could keep you safe. And with that, he took on the job of designing forty clothes and accessories for men and women. It was then that he realized it was a horrible decision; he would never complain of being tired ever again.

So many nights spent in front of his computer, so many cups of coffee downed in one sitting, and countless hours of the stupid boys teasing him for being soft towards you. The last part ended pretty quickly after Jaebum sent one of his cats on a hunt to scratch all the members. 

Jaebum turned the nozzle and stepped out of the shower. He was determined to finish the drafts and send them in to Chanwoo, Skyline's head of design. They had met when you introduced one another at a corporate meeting. Jaebum had to admit, there was something about Chanwoo, almost like he knew him, but he couldn't place his finger on it. 

That thought was pushed away as he dried off and got dressed before sitting at his desk again and picked up the pen. It was time to get to work. After a shower, it was easier to brainstorm. All he had to do was ask himself: what kind of style did you, his girlfriend, like on men? That was fairly easy; Jaebum looked towards his closet and tried to remember all those times you had said he looked nice that day. You seemed to lean more to the casual end, but with a bit of business. Refined casual. Is that what it was called? Jaebum had no idea, but now that he had a theme to work with, he put the pen to use. Totally unlike the last session, he was able to outline the remaining half of the set that he had left. Minimalistic jewelry. All silver, of course. A bomber jacket here, a hoodie and button down shirt there, and a pair of either jeans or sweatpants to finalize each outfit.

After touching up the strokes on the long sleeve graphic tee, he put a copy of his signature on the arm: _Def._

-

"Here is the final lineup for this year's winter collection for men," you said as you moved on to the next topic for the monthly corporate meeting. The screen showed exactly forty tops, bottoms, outerwear, accessories, and shoes for men. "And for the women's." The next slide showed blouses, pants, dresses, jewelry, and coats. The prototypes of Jaebum's designs turned out better than you could ever expect. He knew exactly which colors to choose that worked best for that specific piece. Each shirt, pair of pants, sweater, and jackets had a small label sewn onto either the hem or waist, giving the piece a sleek and professional look. _Def. for Skyline/_

You looked at Jaebum sitting at the side. He seemed relaxed, as if everyone in the room were long time buddies. It had only been a few months ago that you decided to let everyone know that after more than twenty years of living, you had gotten a boyfriend. Chanwoo was so excited, he used his lunch break to go to a liquor store and buy hard cider. That guy would take any opportunity to sneak a drink in. But you were in a good mood, and hard cider was fairly weak, so you let him and Areum throw a small celebration. "A toast to Y/N. She'll no longer die single." Chanwoo went home that night with a few hairs pulled out.

"I saw a couple of shirts and pants that were shown again on the women's collection slide. Was it a mistake?" Hyejin, head of the productions team, asked. Next to her, Areum and Subin, director of merchandising, smiled and gave each other a knowing look.

"Unisex." Jaebum said. All eyes were turned on him, as he had actually spoken up for the first time on his own will. Previously, you always had to push him to talk. Leader or not, Jaebum being bad at public speaking was the cutest thing ever, and you absolutely loved teasing him for it. Even though it always ended in sex. "I figured that trends are coming and going at a rate that's only getting faster, but this, this is what I'd call a concept. A permanent concept, to be more exact. A lot of people nowadays like to wear clothes of the opposite, whether it's because of taste or fit. So I made a small, uh, sub-collection, if that's what it's called, of unisex clothes."

Areum's jaw dropped. "He has spoken."

"This is the power of having an alias," Hyejin said.

"Do we have a name for the collection?" Chanwoo asked. " _Def. for Skyline_ is really cool, but is there a name that can top that?"

You nodded, pulling out a piece of paper with the logo of the collection name on it.

"Skyway."


	13. Bulletproof Vests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 13 is FINALLY here! I'm so sorry for keeping you guys waiting T_T
> 
> Not sure how long this irregular schedule will prolong, but when May comes, it'll be summer vacation for me and I'll have a lot more time on my hands. So until then, please stay patient for new chapters!
> 
> To make up for this, I'll tell you guys a bit about the next chapter at the end~

You took a cautious sip of your coffee (you wouldn't really call it coffee, since half of the cup was hazelnut creamer, giving the name "coffee-milk") and snuck glances at the man sitting across from you, practically inhaling the ham and cheese sandwich you made for him. Jaebum was _so_ going to get it.

"So," you said, putting the cup down and tracing the rim with your finger, "What exactly were you doing in front of my house, Yugyeom?"

The man chewed as fast as he could to answer. "Boss' orders."

"I figured, but what were you doing?"

"Watching."

You blinked. "Watching… me."

Yugyeom looked up from his plate with his boyish eyes. "Er, patrolling. Hyung wanted me to look out for any rats that might've been keeping an eye on you."

"Ah, rats. Right."

Earlier this morning, you had noticed Yugyeom pacing back and forth in long, slow strides, yawning and stretching every few steps. You kept looking, trying to figure out what the hell he was doing at your place. That's when he saw you and waved, as if nothing unusual was going on. Yugyeom took out his cellphone and dialed a number. He was calling you. Picking up the phone, you demanded to know why he was wandering outside. Quite frankly, you don't remember much of his exceptionally long explanation except for the words "JB hyung won't let me go back home until I see you off at your work." You let him in, and he revealed that he had been standing guard all night, which is why you let him sleep for an hour while you made breakfast, to make up for getting angry.

"Do you know how long Jaebum plans on doing this?" After the coffee-milk, you were definitely going to make yourself a cup of chamomile tea. It wasn't even noon and you were already done for the day.

Yugyeom set his fork and knife down on the empty plate. Wow. He actually finished that in less than ten minutes. It took you ten minutes just to fry the eggs properly. "Not sure, but I don't mind doing it, Y/N. I'm used to the night shift, and I get a good workout in. Plus," he leaned in, as if he was about to spill the biggest secret of the century, "JB hyung said he would buy me a steak after this."

"So don't worry too much, but if you're _really_ bothered by it, then I'll let Boss hyung know." Yugyeom stood up to his full height and took the plate and utensils to the sink. "I call dibs on doing the dishes!"

"Dibs on the dishes…?" You watched as he pulled on the rubber gloves and starting washing the dirty dishes. "Yugyeom, you can take another nap if you want. I can take care of it."

He looked back and smiled. "It's okay, I usually don't sleep a lot in the first place. I like being active as much as possible, too. Also, did you know that video games are supposed to be good for your brain? Helps with making choices faster or boosting intelligence, I think. Either way, it makes me wonder why Mark hyung is so good at video games yet can't is the slowest at quick maths out of all us, even that JB."

"Yeah, you're definitely tired." You pulled the gloves off and nudged Yugyeom to the side. His eyes were half closed already. He nodded after giving you a loopy smile and obediently head over to the couch, onto which he fell face first on top of.

"Hey Y/N, did I ever tell you the story of the time I got shot?" Yugyeom murmured, his face still smushed against the throw pillows. "We were getting takeout. Heh, that's code for basically killing everyone in the building. Anyways, JB hyung was so sure that nothing was going to happen, even though we were going in seven against fifty. So while we're getting takeout, some bastard shoots me from the back and the next thing I know, I'm bashing his face in. The look he had was too funny. That fool never got to know that I was wearing a bulletproof vest, we all were. Bambam says it's cheating, but I said that we had the money to buy them, so why not? And I don't mean to brag, but we look so damn fine in bulletproof vests. My brothers and I work out whenever we have free time, especially Jacky hyung. Bulletproof vests, man. We look damn fine in them. You would look good in one, too, Y/N. There's something I keep seeing in your eyes. Not entirely sure, but I get the feeling that you're like us. I'm pretty sure Jaebum hyung would love to see you in a bulletproof vest…"

You didn't realize you were clinging on to every word, even though Yugyeom had been blabbering on while half-asleep. He was now snoring softly, completely oblivious to the fact that he had been subconsciously talking for the past few minutes. Looking at the man with hopeful eyes, you waited for him to continue, but he was long gone. What did he mean by that? You were like them? You, a successful businesswoman in your prime, the same as the guys in one of the biggest gangs in the country? Impossible. This was probably what Yugyeom was like when he got extremely tired or drunk. Sighing softly, uou draped a blanket over him and picked up where Yugyeom left off at the sink. It only now hit you that the lives of Jaebum, Mark, Jinyoung, Jackson, Youngjae, Yugyeom, and Bambam led were completely different from yours.

Shaking your head to get the thought out, you head over to your phone and called "HOUSE." It was the number Jaebum had given you to call that connected to their home, so that you didn't have to repeatedly try a new number, as the boys were always busy to some degree. If anyone was home, they would pick it up.

The receiver picked up the phone on the third ring. "Thank you for calling JB's Wig Shop, where we have wigs of the highest quality in all colors and styles. How may I help you?" 

"… I'll keep this a secret from Jaebum, Bambam." Your face turned bright red from trying not to explode into laughter.

The other end went dead quiet. "Oh. Hey, Y/N. I thought it would be Yugyeom, but uh, I didn't really mean it… except maybe the wig parts." He seemed to realize that he wasn't making it better for himself. "Thanks, you're a real one."

"No problem. I just called to say that Yugyeom's at my place. You don't have to pick him up, just wanted to let you guys know in case you think he went missing or something."

"Oh, so that's where he's been. I've been trying to get a hold of him since last night so we could play a game together but I guess he was the lucky guy who was chosen to keep watch at your place." Bambam cleared his throat, unsure about what else to talk about. After all, you had only called to let someone know about Yugyeom's whereabouts. "Alright, I'll let the others know. Thanks for calling, Y/N. See you!"

"Later," you said before hanging up. 

That chamomile tea was long overdue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, I'll tell you a bit about Chapter 14.
> 
> This is where the action slowly starts to build up. Right from the beginning of the chapter, it's revealed that you, the reader, is moving into the Paradise mansion. What on earth could have happened? Who knows, but now you and Jaebum are able to spend more time together and he no longer has to worry about you being in danger.
> 
> You also find out what Yugyeom meant when he said that you were just like the boys. Whether you like it or not, it's what changes how you and everyone else sees yourself...


	14. The Move-In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last, Chapter 14 is finally here! I've been so busy wrapping up the semester and other things, but I also wrote as much as I could whenever I had five minutes of free time. To make up for the long wait, it's an extra long chapter! Enjoy! =)

You stood still, trying to grasp the situation that you've been trying process for the past two hours. Your once cozy living room was now busy and hectic with seven men moving in and out, carrying out furniture and packing your belongings into boxes. How did things come to be like this? Was your life changed forever all because one guy tried to kill you?

Wait, before you freak out, let's backtrack a bit…

-

On the day when Yugyeom passed out on the couch in your living room, you called Bambam and let him know that he was at your house, right? Well, he must've told Jaebum as soon as the call was over, because your boyfriend was at your doorstep in less than twenty minutes. He dragged the poor boy out and into his car before coming back and apologizing. You told him it was completely fine, and even contemplated telling Jaebum the thing that Bam had said on the phone when he first picked up, just because you didn't think that he would rat out his best friend like that. In the end, of course you decided against telling Jaebum, but it would still be useful as blackmail in case Bambam tried pulling something on you.

"You want to explain why you had poor Yugyeom _walk outside my place all night_?" Pacing back and forth in front of the now-timid leader, you crossed your arms and tried to sound as mad as possible. But it was sort of hard, as he was slightly pouting and hunched over a bit; he even looked like a sad cat.

"I was only looking out for you, and I promised him to steak and then a quart of whatever flavor ice cream he wanted." Jaebum stood up and walked over before wrapping his arms around you from behind. "Fine, I won't do it again. Okay? Don't be mad."

You turned around and hooked your own arms around his neck. "I can't get mad at you when you're pouting so cutely like that. At least you won't be doing it again. And I appreciate all your efforts to keep me safe, just… I can take care of myself for the most part, alright?"

"Fine. But you have to give me a kiss."

"Shouldn't it be the other way around? I should be the one demanding something from you."

"I've been wanting one forever but it was never the right time or place." Jaebum's ears turned a slight shade of pink.

Your lips curled into a devilish smile. "Then this is your punishment. No kiss until I say so."

Jaebum's nostrils flared a bit and the corners of his mouth turned downwards. "This is illegal."

"Look who's talking. What have you done that's not illegal?"

"Breathing. Talking. Eating. Exercising. Having a girlfriend. Just to name a few." He grinned and pulled you closer for a hug, his face buried into the crook of your neck. "You never said I couldn't hug you."

"Always finding a loophole, aren't you?" You let out a quiet laugh as you leaned back into his chest.

There was a comfortable silence as the two of you stayed like that, slowly swaying from side to side. You almost wanted to skip work today and just spend the entire with Jaebum. Almost.

Reluctantly, you gently pushed off against him and turned to face Jaebum. "I have to get ready for work, but after seven-thirty I should be free for the rest of the night."

He hummed, playing with the tips of your hair. "Dammit, I had something to do at eight. I would totally cancel everything if I could, but I really have to interrogate this one son of a bitch and then kill them afte-"

Jaebum cut himself off before he could finish, but it was no use. You already know exactly what he was doing tonight. "Uh, if it makes you feel better, he's really mean and-"

"Um, can I come too?"

You looked at Jaebum with the same look he was giving you: utter disbelief. "I can't believe I just said that, but… I really did mean it."

"I… So you did just ask me that, then. I thought I heard wrong," Jaebum also seemed quite shocked, unable to speak properly. "Well, to be perfectly honest with you, half of me wouldn't mind bringing you along, and the other half would never forgive myself if I did. Do you… do you really want to?"

You couldn't really answer him, because you didn't know how to answer. It was true that it could get dangerous, maybe even deadly. But you still nodded.

He looked lost in thought for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. "Alright. I've weighed all my options and came up with twenty-one back up plans in case anything goes wrong. And by anything, I mean it could range from a flat tire while we're on our way there to someone getting injured. As soon as that happens, I'm taking you back home. Okay?"

"Can't believe it only took you seconds to think of all that. But yeah, I understand." You let out a soft sigh and pulled away from his warmth. "Alright, I really have to get ready for work now."

Jaebum looked at the clock before heading towards the door and putting his shoes on. "I'll pick you up from work, then. And Y/N," he said, halfway out the door, "If you happen to change your mind, let me know. Don't feel like you have to commit." And with that, he left. Your house was now back to its normal silence.

-

All day, the thought of tagging along with Jaebum was on your mind. A murder. You were going to witness someone getting killed and become involved in Paradise's affairs the moment you see it. Was that something you wanted? What if something went wrong and Skyline and everything you worked for was jeopardized?

You didn't even see Chanwoo walk in for the third time to bring in paperwork. He sighed as he noticed the untouched pile of documents that he had brought in the previous times.

"Y/N. Hello? Y/N!"

Immediately, you snapped your head towards him. "Chanwoo.. Hey."

Chanwoo chuckled. "What's got you so preoccupied?"

"It's nothing, I'm just out of it today. Don't worry about me," you said, giving him a reassuring smile. It wasn't convincing at all.

Taking half of the papers in the pile, Chanwoo gave you a light pat on the shoulder. "Tell you what. I'll give you a hand with these, so go home early today. Happy boss, happy company, right?"

That managed to make you laugh a little, but you shook your head. "I can't believe you sound like a boss more than I do. Really appreciate the offer, but I can’t even go home. I took a cab here since I didn't feel like driving with so many things going on in my head.

"Sometimes you work too hard, Y/N. There are days when you should use your authority and dump all the work onto the staff. It's what we're here for. Areum and I talked about how the both of us were bored out of our minds because you never pass on things you have to do."

"Damn, Channie. I never would've expected such words from someone who asks me nearly everyday if they can go home early." Seeing his flustered expression, you flipped your hair and shrugged obnoxiously. His loss.

Chanwoo struggled to retaliate. "That's… because… I have things- errands to do, so of them that I can barely finish by night. It's just that today I don't have much going on."

"Well, since you so graciously offered, maybe I will take the rest of the day off and leave it to you. Think you'll be okay? I barely touched the pile of papers."

But Chanwoo was already ushering you out of your seat and handing over your coat and bag. "Listen. This kind of opportunity will never come again, and I'll never express an ounce of kindness. I'll become a stone-faced asshol-"

"Okay, okay, I get it." You gave him an apologetic smile. "See you tomorrow?"

He was already settled in your chair and had his legs propped up on the edge of your desk. That bastard. Giving you a small wave, he pretended to fall asleep and began to snore lightly. You scoffed, walking out the office and closing the door behind you. As childish as Chanwoo was (but so were you), he knew when to get serious and put in effort where it was needed.

Well, at least now you were able to go home and relax; not to mention, you had more time to think over the conversation you had earlier with Jaebum. Maybe he was open to talk about it a bit more. Pulling out your phone, you sent him a quick text.

Got off work early, down to visit? I'll be at the coffee shop right next to the office.

Almost immediately, you got a response.

be there in a bit

-

"Damn, why couldn't I have more guys like Chanwoo?" Jaebum grumbled before chugging the rest of his iced Americano. "All my members do is put me in line of fire and make me pay for food every day."

You nearly snorted at his remarks, biting back a little story about Chanwoo that you would save for another day. Let's just say, your wallet was weeping after the company dinner, all thanks to that damn brat. Sneaking a look at Jaebum's perplexed face (most likely from remembering the things his team would make him do), you decided to play a little joke. You've known him for a long time, and saw your cute boyfriend get jealous over the little things, like that one time the two of you went shopping and someone asked for your number, oblivious to Jaebum standing only a few feet away in line to pay for the clothes. You know he trusts you, and he says it's "just manly pride" getting to him. How would he react to this…?

"I'll give you Chanwoo if you give me Jackson."

Jaebum's eyes shifted from his cup to your eyes. It was safe to say that it wasn't even anger he was showing. Or maybe it was, but it wasn't specifically directed towards you.

"What?"

"I said, if I can have Jackson, you can have Chanwoo. Although, with so many projects coming up at Skyline, I'm gonna need him back in a few weeks." You looked off to the side, as if in thought. "Jackson seems similar to Channie, fun but hardworking. I think we'd get along very well.

Oh boy, you absolutely loved this. At the same time, you were ready to write your will. Jaebum had done his little tongue-in-cheek thing. Twice. Before he could even mutter anything, however, you leaned in close to his ear. Time to end it.

You lowered your voice, making it slightly husky. Jaebum went crazy every time you did that. "You know I was just kidding, right, da-"

Jaebum cleared his throat loudly and quite obnoxiously, catching the attention of the others in the café. He fumbled for his coat and took you by your hand before rushing out the door. Panicking, you reached out to secure the one thing that mattered to you most right now: your strawberry pastry.

He didn't say anything until he got to the car. You thought he would stay like that, but just as he (still) opened the door for you, he stopped you before you could go in and leaned dangerously close against your body. A shiver ran down your spine. Jaebum had taken hold of your arms, so as you were getting anxious, you were also sure just how much of an idiot you looked biting down on the pastry, as if you were an anime character with toast in their mouths because they were going to be late for school.

"Canf I femlf few*?"

Jaebum took the pastry and held it while waiting for you to finish chewing. Jerk, not even letting you finishing your dessert.

"Can I help you?" You looked up at him with the best puppy dog eyes you could manage.

"You don't think you crossed the line back there, princess?" Jaebum was now very close; you could feel his hot breath on your ear and neck. God, how did he do it?

Clearing your throat, you slipped out of his grasp and squeaked out, "Not really" before escaping into the car.

-

"I can't believe Yugyeom is still with you guys even after all that," you gasped between each fit of laughter, "And I can't believe you would continue those pranks until he cried."

Snickering, Jaebum gave you a glance before turning back to the road. "I think it's a fair trade; he stole my strawberry milk, I played a little joke on him."

"Heartless," you joked. "I would've never known how cruel you really were if you hadn't told me."

"Of course not, even my worst enemies would say that I'm a good boyfriend."

"A good boyfriend who pulls pranks on his friend for taking ONE ninety-nine cent strawberry milk."

"Come on, princess. If Yugyeom wasn't who he is, he would've easily whooped my ass before I could even take the first step." Jaebum paused for a short moment. "He can get pretty scary if he's really irked, y'know. Last time he got pissed, more than half of a small gang got demolished."

You became pretty quiet after that; it was hard to imagine Yugyeom in such a state, especially when he was stuffing his face with pancakes and then sleeping so soundly afterwards on your couch not too long ago. Jaebum also seemed to be lost in thought, as if remembering something from a while back.

Jaebum pulled up to the front of the apartment complex and shut off the engine. "Mind if I stay? We can go together in a few hours."

Nodding, you got out of the car and headed inside the lobby and into the elevator. Once it reached your floor, the two of you walked to the end of the hallway where your place was. But before you could take another step, Jaebum stopped you.

"Y/N, you weren't expecting anyone today, were you?"

Frowning, you shook your head. "No, why?"

"Feels like someone was here."

"A break-in?" You raised an eyebrow at him. "This is one of the safest buildings in the area. And security makes note of everyone who walks in through the lobby."

Shrugging, Jaebum stepped in front of you and slowly opened the door; it wasn't locked. "I've been told that I have an intuition that's on par with a woman's. It's one of the best compliments I ever received." Pushing it open, he remained in the front as he reached behind his back and pulled out a gun. No longer a surprise at this point.

What was a surprise, however, was that the inside was in perfect condition, just how you left it before leaving for work. "They were probably just looking for valuables, which I don't really have."

But you spoke too soon; simultaneously, both of you spotted the post-it note placed on top of the dining table. Expect another guest soon.

Pulling out his phone, Jaebum dialed Youngjae. "Hey, I'm gonna need you to get access to the security cameras around The Pub. Look up everyone and anyone who entered the building." The Pub was short for Republique, which was a bakery just down the street where you lived. The boys gave your place the nickname of The Pub since it was so close by.

Jaebum sighed and put away his gun before plopping down on one of the chairs. He put his head down in his hands. "Y/N, I'm so sorry. I knew I never should've been so careless about bringing you into this world… Now you can't even call your own home a safe place."

"Maybe," you said, pulling out the chair across from him and sitting down. "But I'll never blame you for it. I signed up for this even after knowing everything that could happen."

He lifted his head but still looked perplexed. "This might be a bit too sudden, but it's the only temporary solution I can think of at the moment… do you want to move in with me and the guys?" Before you could say anything, though, he continued. "Don't worry, they wouldn't try anything, and I'm pretty sure they'd be happy to have you around. Especially Jackson and Mark, they've actually been begging me to drop the question for a while."

"You know, there are times when I love making last minute plans, but this, I… I don't know. I feel like I'll just be a burden. Not sure if you'd like having a freeloader around."

"That still doesn't answer the question. Do you want to move in with me and the guys?" Jaebum leaned forward and took your hand in his.. "You're my princess. No rent for royalty, as corny as that sounds."

"I just threw up a little." You rolled your eyes, but kept a playful smile. "If you really don't mind, then I guess having a change in scenery wouldn't be so bad. A little warning, though. I eat pizza with a fork and knife and pour milk after cereal."

-

Aaa~~nd fast forward to you standing in the middle of your living room, watching as Mark and Jackson are carrying the loveseat out the door and loading it into the moving truck. Jaebum was carefully packing your most prized designs (the ones that started Skyline, of course *wipes tear*) framed with red oak wood.

Because the move was so sudden (after you had said yes, Jaebum immediately called the team and not thirty minutes later, they were already at your doorstep, ready to get packing), everything was hectic; the Paradise boys were scurrying in an out of the front door, not caring how fast or hard they were breathing from exhaustion. Their only concern was to get you out of that house as soon as possible to avoid any sort of danger. You had to give them credit, though; they were good at everything they did. Their teamwork was so well coordinated, it took them less than an hour to move everything to the living room for easy transportation to the truck.

Jackson paused to take a quick break and casually rested his arm around your shoulders. "You kinda lucked out, Jaebum hyung. Could've just opted to move in here and have all the privacy you need."

"Shut up and pick up your side of the couch, dumbass," Mark said while rolling his eyes, "I can't believe you just dropped it and left me hanging here to have a chat."

"What are you talking about? You have the capability to carry this couch and a whole dining table all by yourself," Jackson grumbled, but still resumed to pick up the arm of the couch and helped Mark move it out the door.

-

As you placed the last decorative succulent plant on your desk, you couldn't help but feel yet another wave of guilt washing over you again. Even though you had repeatedly told Jaebum that you wanted to pay your part of the rent throughout the entire the car ride here to the Paradise mansion, he wouldn't hear of it, saying that he was the one who made the offer, therefore your argument was invalid and the conversation was over.

The room that Jaebum gave you was the second master bedroom, connected directly to his own to the left. On the right side was Jinyoung's room, although there wasn't a door that led from his room to yours. Across the hall, three bedrooms lined up side to side; Bambam and Yugyeom in the first, Mark and Jackson in the second, and Youngjae at the very end.

Sighing, you stood up and turned slowly, taking in the view of your new room. Paradise ("the Paradise mansion" was too long) was thrice the size of your old place, which had been a two story penthouse, so of course the master bedrooms were in proportion to the house overall. That being said, even with almost all of your belongings inside, there was still plenty of room.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted a framed picture on your desk. It was usually on the bedside table back at your old place, but someone must've put it on the desk instead. You picked it up, and a wave of nostalgia washed over you. The picture was simply a photocopy of your first original design; a drawing of a faceless figure wearing a white sweetheart ball gown adorned with colorful silk flowers and gold lace. It was the dress design that got you first place in the university's fashion show, which attracted the entire student body and even numerous high-end designers.

But your smile faded as you flipped the frame and gently took off the back, revealing a second layer: a photograph. The photo hidden underneath was of a perfect family; a doting father with handsome features, a mother with the warmest eyes, beautiful and alluring, and you. "Your parents would've been proud to see you graduate." The disgusting face of your former university academic advisor popped up, mocking you with the last words you ever heard from him over and over again. Damn it, why did you have to remember that now?

Whatever. There was still time before the team had to go, so might as well bring up the thing while you were at it. Tossing yourself on the bed and closing your eyes, you opened the gates to the one memory that you wanted to forget for the rest of your life…

The memory of your parents' deaths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I bit onto an egg tart (which was the closest thing I had to a pastry at the time of writing that part) and actually said these words out loud to see what they sounded like. I also hate how the one scene that doesn't have any contribution to the main plot was the most realistic out of the entire story LOL
> 
> But yay, that was Chapter 14! It's a lot of information to process, but that's to make up for taking such a long time updating. Next chapter should be up much sooner than before, so stay tuned! Thank you for reading =)


	15. Pandora's Box

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, THANK YOU FOR 1K HITS!! I never thought that this story would get so far. Whether you simply wanted to read a few chapters to know what the basic plot was or you stuck with this (terrible and slow-to-update) story even until now, I sincerely thank you. I hope you'll stay to the end and get the chance to read the final chapter.
> 
> Next: YES, a new chapter has finally been published. I didn't expect to be so busy even out of uni, but here I am haha =') of course, it's not an excuse for lack of updates - I try to write a paragraph or two whenever I have time (this sounds familiar... feels like I've written it before LOL). 
> 
> Anyways, it's good to be back with a new chapter for you guys to read, hope you enjoy! =)

 

"Isn't that Jung Y/N? The daughter of that crazy rich family?"

"No one knows how they got all their wealth, but I bet you it wasn't all legal."

"I heard her father does some shady business, but I've also seen him on TV once, and I gotta say… he's a total DILF."

"Whaaat? No way, my dad's acquaintance knows him, and he says Jung Seo Joon has the scariest face he's ever seen. You probably saw the wrong guy."

"Her mom though… I'd let her step on my face for free."

"Ew, and just last night you were proud of being a single man, you perv."

"And haven't you heard of Botox, Sunghoon? She probably spent thousands to keep her face like that."

"Damn, are all women jealous of every other woman or something?"

"Whatever, Y/N was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, right? No wonder, she never talks to anyone and acts like she's better than everyone, that spoiled bitch."

"But my parents told me to be friends with her so they can have a good relationship with her family."

"Mine, too…"

"Bitch or not, I'll have to be nice to her if it helps out my family's company."

You almost wanted to burst out laughing. This was another level of pettiness, and it was only the first day of your second year in high school. For sure, they didn't give two shits whether you heard them or not. But as always, you ignored them and walked straight to class. Just another year of being the center of gossip.

Snooty rich people were the worst. They always had ulterior motives and used dirty methods to become even wealthier. Your parents, on the other hand, taught you to be giving and humble. They continued the tradition of volunteering during the holidays to give food to the homeless and donating money to hospitals and charities, even after you were born. Countless news articles about their good deeds were published. And you were the ideal daughter anyone could ever ask for.

Your father was a successful businessman who owned multiple buildings in the hottest cities, and your mother was a well known artist, specifically a fashion illustrator. They were happy, which meant you were happy as well.

But it all shattered to pieces in one night. A loud noise had woken you up in the middle of the night, followed by shouting. It didn't sound like either of your parents. Quickly locking your door, you had dialed the police, making sure to keep your voice low as you explained the situation. The man of the other end had told you to stay put and hide, but you hung up and tossed your phone to the side. Quietly, you creaked open the door and tip-toed downstairs. Making sure to stay behind the wall, you peeked over the edge and saw your dad in front your mother, along with unknown men in black suits pointing their guns at them.

"Of all the people I expected to break into my house, I never thought you would be the one, Joon," your father growled, "I trusted you when I gave you the position as the new leader, and you betray me?"

"Should've never left then, old man. Coming back every few years for the Consensus Conference isn't enough, and you should know best. No one ever truly leaves this world." The mysterious man named Joon held up his fist in admiration. "Remember this ring you gave me? It came with one of your boring ass speeches about uniting everyone and helping civilians instead of making them fear us. Hah, that was hilarious. And a whole lot of bullshit. So I made a copy of this ring and gave to our crew to serve as a reminder of our new goal to wipe everyone else off the map."

What the hell was that shithead saying? You could barely make out what the man was saying. Ring? You looked at the hand that he held up. Sure enough, there was a fat silver ring on his index finger. That was strange… you had sworn Dad wore something similar to that.

Suddenly, you heard a sharp intake of breath from your mother. Shifting your gaze, you locked eyes with her, then followed by Dad's.

Joon chuckled, sending shivers down your spine. "You just noticed?"

Out of nowhere, someone wrapped their arm around your neck, and you felt something cold resting against your temple.

"Y/N!" Mom yelled out. She looked at the man called Joon with desperation in her eyes. "Please, Tae Joon, don't harm my daughter. Anyone but her…"

"You… came here to kill me, right?" Dad kept his line of sight on you. "Then do it. On the condition that you will not touch a hair on Y/N."

You were crying and wanted to scream, but the man holding you hostage had his hand over your mouth, preventing you from making a sound.

"Not even begging for your lives, huh? What makes you think I'll obey?"

Dad looked into Tae Joon's eyes with ferocity. "I'm enforcing the number one rule of the moral code. Even other leaders must follow it."

Tae Joon stood up quietly. "Fine." He lifted his gun. You panicked and struggled even harder to break out of the man's grasp, your muffled screams ringing throughout the entire house. Mom and Dad never took their eyes off of you.

"It has been an honor to have served you, Boss and Madam."

-

"So what do we do with her, Boss?" The man asked.

Tae Joon said nothing at first and simply looked down at your limp body on the floor. You felt yourself falling into unconsciousness more and more with each passing minute. You had entered hysteria after hearing the gunshots and seeing the bodies of your parents in each others' embrace; you clawed at the man's arm, trying to run to your parents. You even began hitting yourself, to wake up from this terrible nightmare. The man hit the butt of his gun against your head, and you immediately fell to the ground, where you were now.

Joon turned away, and the other men followed suit. "Nothing. The old man was right; even I can't go against the code. Law's a law. 'The final wish of a leader, whether previous or current, must be granted and upheld by all.'"

The last thing you saw before succumbing to complete darkness was the sight of him and his lackeys bowing one last time to Mom and Dad before walking away.

-

The next time you awoke, you found yourself at the hospital, in a private room. An unexpected guest was dozing off on the seat by the side of your bed. "Uncle Jung Hwan?" You knew the chief of the police department, Uncle Jung Hwan, as one of your father's closest friends.

His head snapped up immediately. "Y/N!" He began to tear up. "Thank God you're awake."

"What happened? Why am I her-"

Everything came rushing back at once, and you started having difficulty breathing. It was all too much to handle. You couldn't hear Uncle Jung Hwan as he ran out the room to call for a doctor. You couldn't feel the nurses holding your arms down and hurriedly telling you that you were safe, that no one was going to hurt you. You couldn't get the image of your parents' bloodied corpses on the cold marble floor out of your mind. Finally, everything began to turn black, and you returned to the peaceful darkness.

-

It had taken months for you to make progress; eating at least once a day, speaking only when absolutely necessary, and getting a minimum of twenty steps everyday was a step towards you returning to your normal state. It took even longer for Uncle Jung Hwan to slowly ease you into being comfortable talking about that night, and for you to accept that your father, while it was true that he was a businessman, was once the boss of one of the most powerful and large gangs in the entire continent of Asia; SYZYGY (you later learned that it was some hipster word, which meant the "alignment of celestial bodies" or whatever that meant). He told everyone who knew, including Uncle Jung Hwan, to never tell me until the day he dies. As the boss, Dad was tough, but he treated his members well, and more followers joined him every day. It was nice having so many loyal men and women, but with it came risks. There were spies and traitors lurking in the shadows at all times.

According to Uncle Jung Hwan, your father had eventually wanted to leave the life of endless betrayal and constant war to finally settle down with a family of his own. He met Mom at a café, when she was working there part-time to earn extra income when she was finished early with her classes at fashion school. He told her about his once he knew that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Finally, when you were born, Dad left the underworld for good. Many others who had been loyal to him also left the group, but there were also those who believed that Dad knew too much to simply pack his bags and go. Tae Joon was one of them. Dad's right hand man, now a wanted criminal for more than a hundred counts of murder.

Your parents hadn't told you about their past, because why should they? What good would that information do for you and your future? They wouldn't have been to bear with the guilt of putting their only daughter in danger.

Once you were discharged from the hospital, you moved in with Uncle Jung Hwan and his family. They helped you stabilize even further and treated you as one of them. And as soon as you graduated high school, they made sure you got every penny of your parents' inheritance.

From college funds to savings accounts, all of them were made in your name. You found out that your parents had put almost all of their wealth into these, for you to use once you reached adulthood and left to live on your own with your family. Never before had you cried so hard.

-

It was a teary farewell with Uncle Jung Hwan and his family on the day you left for university. No one knew when you would see each other again. You were going miles and miles away to school, and right after graduating, you planned on snagging a decent job and settling in the area.

You remembered when Uncle pulled you aside for a brief moment to talk.

"Y/N, do you still have any feelings of hatred harbored for Tae Joon?"

You shook your head. "You taught me that in the end, revenge isn't going to solve anything, much less bring my parents back. I chose to move along with my life a long time ago."

Uncle smiled. "I know. Hey, if you ever need anything, and I mean anything, you let me know. I'll book the earliest flight there."

And off you were, vulnerable and alone in exploring the world on your own. As for their company, Uncle Joon Gi, another one of Dad's best friends, took the reins and contacted you, saying that he would wait until you were ready to continue the legacy of your parents. Who would've guessed that in the end, you were going to fall into the same path that Mom and Dad walked and end up with a gang leader yourself?

This time however, you were going to rewrite the ending. No more sad endings. No more feeling weak. No more letting Tae Joon lurk in your inner darkness.

It was time to break the silence.

-

"Y/N! Earth to Y/N!"

Your eyes snapped open. You sat upright abruptly and panted, as if you just ran a full marathon. Jackson rushed to your side to keep you from falling back down.

"Bad dream?"

Giving a reassuring smile at Jackson you shook your head. "Yeah. But I'm okay now… I think."

Jackson pat your head before standing up. "Aw, it's alright. At least you woke up from your nightmares. It takes a lot of courage to do that, you know?"

If you hadn't given him your full attention when he said that, you would have brushed it off as one of his weird pep talks. This felt a little different, as if he was speaking from personal experience.

The man was heading for the door and looked back expectantly, waiting for you to follow. It was almost time to go, but you suddenly felt the urge to let it all out. Besides, he might have some answers that you were looking for.

"Actually, I'm… I'm not okay."

Jackson slowly turned around and stood still, unblinking. Quietly, he sat down on the edge of your bed and waited until you were ready to talk.

With a heavy side, you let him into your nightmares, walking him through your life when your parents were alive, then revealing the plot twist that your father was actually a mafia boss-

"Hold up." Jackson raised a hand, staring into space with a blank look. "Your dad was Jung Seo Joon? The legendary Jung Seo Joon?"

"You knew him?"

He seemed like a little boy talking about his favorite toy. "Hell yeah! I met him once like, six or seven years ago, back when me and the others were training under Paradise so we could serve under Jaebum one day. His dad took us to some conference between all these leaders so we could see what the protocol was like and maybe even join in on the conversation once in a while. Oh man, the moment we got introduced to the leader of the SYZYGY, I nearly shit my pants. Your father was- is, the coolest man I've ever met. He seemed really cold and strict to his team, but you could definitely tell that he still cared for them and that the members held a lot of respect for him."

Hearing someone talk about your dad with such awe and regard brought tears to your eyes. It was nice to be reminded that he really was a good man at heart. You didn't want to interrupt Jackson now, so you willed your tears to dry.

"Anyway, Leader Jung saw us standing in the back of the room just before the conference was about to begin, and called for more chairs to be brought in for us to sit until it was over. I remember was dick objected at first, saying that it wasn't our place to slack off while our bosses were working. But Leader Jung insisted, asking how anyone could literally just sit comfortably while us kids had to stand for hours without seats or water. In the end, he made his staff bring chairs and bottles of water and we got to sit a little closer to the conference table. Man, he was a hero that day. Oh! And afterwards, he came up to us after it ended and gave each of us a hundred thousand won bill to buy whatever we wanted as thanks for protecting the leaders. When I heard those words, I worked extra hard to train and become a perfect team member for Jaebum when he would take over the group one day. It's all thanks to Leader Jung that I'm here today." Jackson took a deep breath and laughed. "Sorry for rambling on like that, but I really was a big fan of your dad. Well, maybe not, since I didn't know he had a daughter."

You shook your head and looked towards the ground. "No, you were. My dad kept it a secret from everyone that he had a family; he didn't want us to be in danger." Smiling, you flopped onto your bed, which Jackson did the same. "Thanks for hearing me out and telling me about him."

Jackson propped himself up on one side. "Anytime, and I'm sorry for what happened to him." You never saw him look so mad before. But then again, that was the case for almost all the members. "Not to be nosy or anything, but did you ever want to… you know, avenge your parents?"

You didn't even hesitate to answer; it came out so smoothly. "Of course. When I was in the hospital, it was all I ever thought about. I even had it all planned out to the last detail until Uncle Jung Hwan helped me realize that getting revenge wasn't going to bring them back or benefit me in any way. Now, I wouldn't even know what to do if I ever met the guy who killed my parents."

"I know what I would do. Wait, did you ever mention his name?"

"No, but if you want to know, it's Tae Joon."

Jackson's eyes went wide. "…Come again?"

You froze. "Do you know him?"

He let out a bitter laugh. "That bastard's caused trouble for so many people, huh? Ruining families left and right…" Jackson looked at you with a deep sense of sadness that you thought wouldn't be possible with someone like him.

"Leader Im… Jaebum's dad was also killed by that guy, too."


	16. Interrogation

"What?"

You couldn't believe it. Jaebum's father was also killed by Tae Joon? What was his purpose?

Jackson also seemed perplexed. "You know, now that I know that he's killed two leaders so far, I suddenly have a hunch on what he's up to."

"I do too. Remember the part where I said he made copies of the signet ring and gave it a new meaning? It was something about unifying all the gangs in the country and being the sole leader of it all."

"Well, shit. This escalated real quick." Jackson hopped off the bed and extended his hand to help you up. "I would tell Jaebum hyung right now, but we gotta go kill someone. Plus, it's not really my place to say. You should do it yourself."

Surprised, you raised an eyebrow at Jackson, except he didn't really see you since he was bolting down the stairs at top speed. "Wait, you weren't going to tell him what I told you?"

"Who do you take me for, princess? Course I won't tell anyone. Besides, I figured there was a reason why you hadn't told anyone."

"…Thanks, Jackson. I appreciate that. You know what? I'll let him know as soon as I can. He could use all the information if he wants it."

Jackson stopped (finally) to let you catch up. "Wants? Y/N, he needs that intel. Guy's been searching high and low for Tae Joon just to torture him as long as possible and then shoot him in the balls." He flashed a smile after seeing you wince a little.

"TMI, Jackson. But yeah, I suppose I understand how he feels. After all, even I had some pretty wild thoughts on how I would rain down hell on Tae Joon before."

"Any chance you're gonna share a bit of it with me?"

"Let's just say it involves a mace and rubbing alcohol."

"Remind me not to get on your bad side."

-

"Are you sure you want to come along?" Bambam asked, WORRIED written all over his face.

"For the millionth time, yes." You weren't really sure what the dress code was when committing a crime, but seeing how Jaebum was decked out in a hoodie and sweats, you were glad you had opted for comfortable clothing. Especially ones that you didn't mind throwing out, should they get bloodied dirtied. "Besides, I have you guys."

Youngjae raised an eyebrow. "But things could get seriously dangerous. I mean, yeah, with us around nothing should happen to you, but there's always that 'what if' part that could get you hurt or even worse!"

Swiftly, Jackson pulled out a small silver case (wait, where _did_ he pull it out from?) and opened it, revealing a handgun. "And that's why we're giving her this." He took it out and placed it carefully into your hands without hesitation, as if he trusted your knowledge on using firearms. "JB hyung had it customized for you 'cause he knew you were going to have it one day, that creep. Anyways, if someone does anything you don't like, just, you know… shoot 'em."

"Shoot 'em." It came out more like a questioning statement than a confirmation.

Jackson scratched the back of his head, trying to make it sound less horrible. "Er, politely, of course." 

"Great advice, idiot hyung." Yugyeom snorted.

"Jackson, I've never even touched a gun before in my life. I don't know how to shoot. Wonderful, thoughtful gift, but it's like telling a newborn how to fill out a check." You were about to place it back inside the case when a hand stopped you.

Jaebum, the last one to get prepared and join the rest at the front door, appeared by your side and cupped your hands in his. He closed your fingers on top of the gun, "If I thought you couldn't use one of these, I wouldn't have given you it in the first place. Plus, I had it made in a way so that even beginners would quickly get the hang of it. You're my girlfriend; I have no doubt you can do it, but only if need be."

"A part of my soul just died just hearing that." Mark muttered under his breath, ignoring Jaebum's piercing glare.

"Whatever, let's just get going."

-

The drive was deadly quiet, no pun intended. Jaebum as usual was the one behind the wheel, with Youngjae next to him giving directions. You didn't realize just how b r o a d the boys were until you sat between Yugyeom and Jackson in the back. Your arms and shoulders were crushed. The youngest member also had height, so he had to spread his legs wider than most to be comfortable. You shifted a few centimeters away to make more room, but moving opposite of one member meant you were getting closer to the other. In no time Jackson's face was practically inches away from yours.

"Oh hey Jackson, nice to see you agai-" You stopped short after noticing a strong but non-intoxicating scent.

"That's… a really nice cologne."

Jackson blinked, once then twice, before bursting into laughter. "Your face - I thought something happened but then you just complimented my cologne…" He trailed off into more fits, clutching his stomach and wiping the corners of his eyes. After catching a glimpse of Jaebum in the rearview mirror, he calmed himself down. "Er, thanks. It's Oasis if you're wondering. And if I'm not mistaken-"

Suddenly, he leaned in even closer (if that was possible) and rested his hand on your shoulder. You felt his hot breath as he whispered, "The cutest CEO in the world made it, according to my sources."

"Remove your hand or I’ll rip it off and beat you with it until you can't talk." A voice from the front seethed.

Mark giggled quietly while everyone else (not including a certain leader) cackled. Even you couldn't hold it in. This man's jealousy was going to be the death of you one day.

"Relax, hyung. That's as far as I was gonna go anyways. Besides, what you doing looking back at us instead of keeping your eyes on the road?" Jackson joked, watching amusedly as Youngjae patting JB's arm to comfort him.

The boys had a talent for making people feel at ease; you had forgotten why you were even in the car in the first place, laughing and tearing up at Jackson and Jaebum going head to head. It wasn't until your boyfriend pulled up into the parking lot of a worn down building just near the docks (just like the movies again, huh?).

"Alright, he should still be there. Hopefully he stopped shitting his pants." Youngjae looked back, clearly amused. "You guys should've seen it. We were just giving Kim a little scare when his bowels failed on him. We literally scared the shit out of him."

"Ugh, gross," Jinyoung retorted, "And you guys didn't bother cleaning it up?"

"No, isn't it better to let him die in his own shit?"

"You sadistic fucker." Jackson muttered as he exited the car. "But I still love ya."

While the guys ran in first, Jaebum slowed down so that he could walk in with you. "There's still a couple of seconds to change your mind, Y/N. Just say the word and we'll be on our way back home again."

You took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Let's go."

-

The man under the one light source sat tied to a rusty metal chair, gagged with a dirty rag and blindfolded. As you got closer, the brown stains on his pants came into view as the stench hit you with full force. You almost felt pity for the man.

"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite group of people in the world. How nice of you to visit me again."

Grimacing in disgust, Mark went behind the man and pulled off the rags, revealing the man's bloodied face. His swollen eye, bloody nose, and busted lip were more than enough to make you look away.

He scanned the room with his good eye, briefly glancing at each one of the boys until he noticed you by Jaebum's side. "Ooh, and you brought a guest to the party. Is she my last meal?"

You shuddered and cowered behind JB, who was shaking as well. The man's expression turned sinister as he let out a harsh laugh, then wincing in pain.

"You got soft, JB. If I didn't know you enough, I'd say you're no longer suited for this."

JB hummed. "Really? And what makes you say that?"

You shivered as the man focused on you. "That woman. Might as well throw in my two cents while I'm alive and say that she's the reason you're a mess."

Just as you were about to say a clever remark, JB stepped forward and leaned in close the man's face, eyes burning with fury. "If I were you I'd shut the fuck up. You're one insult away from having a bullet through your brain, Kim."

"Just one? Damn, then give me a second to pick the best one." The man pretended to think. "Alright, got it. Once I get my hands on her I'll fuck her until she forgets your name and existence."

Had it not been for Jinyoung's insanely fast reflexes, Jaebum's shots would have been embedded in Kim. Instead, the bullets went right through the ceiling.

The leader's face turned red with rage. "You're so fucking lucky you're scheduled to die today, otherwise I would've done all kinds of shit you can't even begin to imagine."

"Nice to know I can finally be free from this hell. Go ahead, shoot me already." Kim closed his eyes and prepared for his end.

Mark let out a sinister laugh. He stepped forward and a handful of Kim's hair, bringing the man face to face with him. "Who said you're dying so quickly? JB said he wouldn't do anything, but hey.. Good thing there's me." He let go, brushing his hand on his pants before slipping on a pair of latex gloves. Yikes.

Jaebum must've seen you getting uneasy, because he came over and stood in front of you, blocking your view from whatever was about to happen. "Y/N, are you okay?"

Sneaking a peek from the side, you saw Mark waiting patiently for Jaebum's signal. "Yeah. I'm not scared."

Jaebum didn't question it any further and turned back to Mark. When he gave a single nod, Mark immediately began the interrogation.

"Alright buddy, last day. Know what that means? We have one last question remaining. Something you have the answer to." He knelt down and patted Kim's knee as if it was for assurance.

Kim kept on a blank face and showed no hints of wavering.

Mark sighed. "Shame. You told us everything we wanted to know until now, what's one more piece of information going to do?"

The man was still quiet, but this time you could see fear in his eyes. "… I know what you're going to ask, but it's something _I can't_ tell you."

"And what would that mean?" Jinyoung crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. You stood in the back quietly, trying to read everyone's body language. Maybe minoring in psychology wasn't a waste after all. Kim was nervous for sure, but anyone could see that. The older guys were all sorts of tense; Jaebum and Jinyoung were like two cats ready to pounce on their prey at any moment while Mark was tense with impatience, wanting to start with the interrogation already. Youngjae was listening tentatively, but that was about it. He didn't show much emotion except for sudden interest in Kim's predicament. Yugyeom and Bambam were- wait, were they playing Angry Birds? First of all, who still plays Angry Birds anymore? Second, there's a man who's about to beaten to a bloody pulp and these two boys were casually lost in a heated round of a game. And Jackson…

Well, Jackson had been staring at the man with an unreadable expression ever since the crew got here. You were almost sure it was between either irritated or perplexed. Should you approach him and ask what he was thinking? Without another thought, you started to make your way to Jackson.

But before you could take the first step, Jackson's smart watch lights up. His face suddenly changes to joy and takes out his phone. Sure enough, he got a notification. Who could it be from to make him so happy in a situation like this? With sudden curiosity, you watched him take out his phone and click on an icon, which opened… Candy Crush? Candy Crush. You were rendered absolutely speechless. How reassuring it was to know that three people from a fucking gang enjoyed playing games while in the middle of questioning.

Everyone else didn't seem to notice the quirky sound effects. "If I tell you, and _he_ finds out… he'll track down my family and kill them. JB, you should know how that guy is. Once he sets his eyes on a target, nothing can stop him from taking them down." Kim's voice trembled and his body shook a bit as he spoke. "My wife and children are completely innocent, you have to believe me."

Unable to look at Kim any longer, you looked down at the ground and tried to distract yourself with the small concrete chunks scattered about.

Mark tilted his head to the other side and let out yet another deep breath. "It's too late for sympathy, my man. Besides, if family was really your first priority, you wouldn't even have fucked around with **Tae Joon**.."


End file.
